About: Abkhazia Archives

Western politicians need to open their eyes to what is going on around Russia, where Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is building a modernised Soviet Union through his 'Eurasian Union' plan, says Giorgi Baramidze, Georgia's vice prime minister.

The relationship Norway and Switzerland have with the EU could be a basis for Georgia-EU ties, Giorgi Baramidze, the country's vice prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.

The European Union reiterated today (14 November) that it does not recognise the breakaway region of South Ossetia, largely under Russian control after a brief war with Georgia in August 2008, nor the election held there on Sunday.

Russia is set to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO) by mid-December 18 years after seeking membership. The last obstacle was lifted yesterday (3 November) when Georgia, with which Russia fought a brief war in August 2008, withdrew a veto over its big neighbour's accession.

Georgian billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who is quitting business to enter politics, says he will win next year's parliamentary election and is ready to repair ties with Russia that were damaged by the war in 2008. 

The European Union and NATO refused to recognise the elections in Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia, held on Friday, which saw Alexander Ankvab, who is loyal to Moscow, earn a resounding victory.

The occupied Georgian territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in the wake of war with Russia in August 2008 should not be considered as a "frozen conflict," Giorgi Baramidze, vice-prime minister of Georgia responsible for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.

Georgia wants the European Union to help it solve its conflict with Moscow over the "occupied territories" of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the country's vice-prime minister, Giorgi Baramidze, told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.

The EU opened talks on an association agreement with Georgia yesterday (15 July) in a move that will boost the former Soviet republic's hopes of forging closer ties with the West. The agreement, however, does not promise future EU accession.

Russia and Georgia held tense talks with EU mediation yesterday (8 June) on security and humanitarian issues unresolved since their 2008 war. The two sides differed over whether a new agreement is needed on the non-use of force.