Georgia will not restore diplomatic relations with Russia unless Moscow revokes its recognition of the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said Tuesday, Anadolu Agency reported.
“So long as so-called recognition remains an accomplished fact on the part of the Russian Federation, diplomatic relations, of course, cannot be restored,” Kobakhidze was quoted as saying by Georgia’s public broadcaster 1TV.
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Kobakhidze said peacefully resolving the conflict over the two regions remains one of Tbilisi’s key foreign policy priorities.
“Our goal concerning the Russian Federation is to resolve the conflict peacefully. This is our stated political position, and we hope that following political changes, all of this will become achievable,” he said.
The comments come as Georgia marks 18 years since its five-day war with Russia over South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
The conflict erupted in August 2008 after years of tensions over the two separatist regions. Georgian forces ultimately lost control of both territories, and Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states later that month.
Georgia responded by severing diplomatic relations with Moscow.
The two regions remain internationally recognized as part of Georgia, despite being outside Tbilisi’s control and backed by Russia.
Kobakhidze’s remarks signal that Georgia sees any restoration of formal diplomatic ties with Moscow as dependent on a major shift in Russia’s position on the disputed territories.
For Tbilisi, the issue remains central to its broader efforts to resolve the conflicts peacefully while preserving its territorial integrity.
