Russian and Georgian envoys meet for talks in Prague

Russian and Georgian representatives met in Prague on Friday for talks aimed at normalizing bilateral ties in areas of trade, transport and culture, but avoiding the sensitive issue of Georgia’s breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. This is the second meeting between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin and the Georgian Prime Minister’s special envoy on Russian issues, Zurab Abashidze, since Tbilisi announced last November it was ready to renew talks with Moscow. Georgia broke off diplomatic relations with Russia after the two nations fought a brief war over Abkhazia and South Ossetia in August 2008.