Russia’s position on Tbilisi ‘to remain unchanged’ after Georgia elections

Moscow’s position regarding Tbilisi will not change, no matter the results of the Georgian presidential election, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday. “We maintain our position on relations with this country,” she said. “Russia did not initiate the severance of diplomatic relations. We believe that it was a huge mistake on the part of Georgian authorities.” People in both countries have been affected by this situation, Zakharova added. Georgia attacked South Ossetia in August 2008. Then Tbilisi severed diplomatic relations with Moscow on September 2 that year after Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia following the conflict between Tbilisi and Moscow. Georgia’s President-elect Salome Zurabishvili was quoted Friday as saying she was not ready for cooperation with Russia.