Russian Foreign Minister Sergey LavrovMOSCOW, January 14 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov believes that Georgia could join the «3 + 3» format (three countries of the South Caucasus, Russia, Turkey and Iran) on Transcaucasia. Speaking at a press conference, the Minister recalled that the idea of the format was immediately supported by the Russian side. «And immediately from the first days of its discussion and in preparation for the meeting held in Moscow, we advocated that our Georgian neighbors should also be involved in this process, based on the fact that the more opportunities for communication, the better the solution of the remaining problems,» — he explained. The minister recalled that «now we are communicating with our Georgian colleagues within the framework of the Geneva discussions on Transcaucasia», where the consequences of Georgia's aggression in 2008 are discussed, and within the framework of an unofficial bilateral channel that was created between Moscow and Tbilisi quite a long time ago. «The processes started in the 'three plus three' format are much more significant, in my opinion, because the prospects for the development of the entire region are discussed in this format,» he added.
Grushko called the wording about the entry of Ukraine and Georgia into NATO unthinkableThe minister said that the inclusion of Georgia in the format «will not oblige them to anything in regard to their political positions.» Between Russia and Georgia there are no diplomatic relations, the dialogue between the countries was maintained in the framework of the Geneva discussions and negotiations held since 2012 in Prague. Relations between the two countries were severed by the Georgian side after Moscow recognized the sovereignty of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on August 26, 2008.
