Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Nino Kalandadze commented on the recent rhetoric statements of Russian senior authorities about Georgia at the weekly press briefing today. Nino Kalandadze said the rough rhetoric of the Russian authorities could be only tied with the ongoing pre-election campaign in Russia.
`Quite rough and inadequate rhetoric of the representatives of the Russian leadership can be logically explained as the part of their pre-election campaign, because the candidates pay great attention to the image they will have in the vision of their voters. Historic experience has proved that Russia is accustomed to making an icon of a foe of other countries,` Nino Kalandadze said.
Another issue, on which the deputy minister focused, was the negotiations around the Jvari Monastery in Jerusalem, around which negotiations are underway to hand it over under the control of Georgian Orthodox Church. She said foreign ministry, Georgian embassy in Israel and consular structures are involved in these negotiations.
`They are acting in accordance with their authorities. As the previous one, current ambassador also follows our instructions, which are eventually updated. It is difficult to say at what phase the negotiations are currently, because the negotiation always imply two sides,` Nino Kalandadze said and added that Georgia proposed formation of working groups on both sides, which will be staffed not only by the foreign ministry delegates, but experts of the sphere and scientists too.
