MOSCOW, October 14 (Itar-Tass) - The introduction by Georgia of a visa-free regime for North Caucasian republics was prompted by Tbilisi’s desire to destabilise the situation in the region, said the Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday. "The decision by Georgian authorities to announce unilateral introduction of a visa-free regime for Russian citizens, living in some North Caucasian republics, cannot be assessed otherwise but as a provocation,” the ministry emphasised. "The attempt, as it is, to divide Russian population into various categories runs counter to the norms of civilised interstate relations.” "This move is also closely linked with Tbilisi’s stubborn desire to destabilise the situation in the North Caucasus and to divert attention from the destructive policy of the Georgian leadership against South Ossetia and Abkhazia,” the ministry believes. "Moscow consistently crusades for good-neighbourly relations in the Caucasus, for ensuring here a normal and quiet life, which Saakashvili tried to undermine, unleashing the war in August 2008,” the Russian ministry underlines. "He also broke up diplomatic relations between Georgia and Russia, creating thereby obstacles for relations between our citizens.” "It was the Georgia side that dragged feet with resolving the question on opening the Kazbegi-Verkhny Lars border check point,” the ministry recalled. "Now that it started working, the Georgian leadership decided to find a way of using even this channel for their disgraceful purposes.” "Russia has no problems with Georgia and the Georgian people,” the Foreign Ministry specially stressed. "We have a problem with regime of Mikhail Saakashvili’s, who cannot calm down.” "It’s clear, however, that all his jittery actions, aimed at looking for new irritants, do not meet the interests of the Georgian people, can only bring about additional problems for Georgian citizens,” the ministry added. Saakashvili has signed a directive on introducing a visa-free regime for Russian citizens – residents of republics and regions of the North Caucasus, said presidential press secretary Manana Mandzhgaladze on October 12. According to the press secretary, "in compliance with the directive, Russian citizens – residents of North Ossetia, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Chechnya, the Kabardino-Balkar Republic, Karachai-Cherkessia and Adygeya – may come to Georgia from October 13 without visas through the Verkhny Lars border check point (Russia)-Kazbegi (Georgia) (North Ossetian section of the state border) and may stay in the country for 90 days”. Mandzhgaladze noted that "this decision was taken to ease the entry to Georgia for Russian citizens, living in North Caucasian republics, who had to receive an entry visa to Georgia in Moscow at the section of Georgian interests at the Swiss embassy in Russia”. |