Day: December 3, 2025

Russia is open to normalizing relations with Georgia but sees no prerequisites for resuming political dialogue as long as Tbilisi ties the restoration of diplomatic relations to Moscow’s withdrawal of its recognition of the independence of the occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions, Russia’s Foreign Ministry told Izvestia.

“There are no prerequisites for resuming political dialogue between Russia and Georgia, since Tbilisi continues to adhere to the position adopted under the [Mikheil] Saakashvili government, which links the restoration of diplomatic relations to Russia’s renunciation of its recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia,” the ministry said.

“This demand is detrimental to Georgia itself and unrealistic. Moscow has repeatedly emphasized that decisions recognizing the statehood of these republics are irreversible,” it added.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Moscow remains open to further steps toward normalizing relations with Georgia to the extent that Tbilisi is prepared to do so.

“The ball is in Georgia’s court, which, as we believe, should be more interested in this than anyone else,” the ministry added.

Tbilisi says it remains committed to peaceful de-occupation and that it will not change its position. Speaking to journalists on December 3 in response to comments by Russia’s Foreign Ministry, Irakli Kobakhidze, the Georgian Dream prime minister, said, “We have our red lines linked to the issue of de-occupation,” adding, “this issue is beyond any compromise.” Meanwhile, Russia has repeatedly stated that it will not withdraw its recognition of the occupied regions.

Izvestia also cited Petre Mamradze, a former head of the administration of ex-President Eduard Shevardnadze, as saying that he does not foresee the restoration of full diplomatic relations in the near future, while noting continued cooperation in areas such as trade.

“Dialogue between Moscow and Tbilisi has already taken shape. One could say the sides have tacitly come to terms with this problem [Abkhazia and Tskhinvali]. Meanwhile, they are developing cooperation in other areas – trade, culture, and social sphere. For Georgia, this is very important,” Mamradze told Izvestia.

“The established relations are unlikely to deteriorate,” he added.

The same message was reiterated by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on December 4, 2024, when she said Moscow was prepared to normalize relations with Georgia “as far as Tbilisi is ready for it.”

Also Read:

• 13/11/2025 – 65th Round of Geneva International Discussions
• 22/04/2025 – Abkhazia De Facto FM: Georgia Must Repeal Law on Occupied Territories
• 14/04/2025 – Moscow Ready to Restore Diplomatic Relations with Tbilisi, Galuzin Says
• 04/12/2024 – Zakharova: Russia Will Be Ready to Go as Far as Tbilisi is Ready To
• 18/09/2024 – Tskhinvali Says It Expects “Practical Measures” After Ivanishvili Promises Apology to Ossetians

In January–October of this year, non-state construction companies carried out 91.8% of all construction work completed in Baku, Azernews reports, citing the State Statistical Committee. According to the information, over the first 10 months, 85.9% of construction activity in the capital consisted of…

Amb. Di Gianfrancesco meets Azerbaijan health minister  ANSA

As of 1 November this year, the volume of loans extended by banks and non-bank financial institutions in Azerbaijan to the mining and electricity, gas, steam, and water supply sectors has declined compared to the same period last year, Azernews reports.

Rzayeva noted that both local and international guests will take part in the forum: “The regional representation will be very diverse. We hope that countries from the region will actively participate in the forum this time as well.”

The State Security Service of Georgia has summoned individuals featured in, or whose work was used in, a BBC investigative documentary that alleged Georgian authorities may have used a military-grade chemical compound known as camite to disperse protests in 2024.

The summonses follow an SSSG investigation into alleged “abuse of official powers” and possible “assistance to foreign entities.” Human Rights groups and critics say the agency appears less focused on establishing the facts than on pressuring those who spoke about or helped expose alleged human rights violations.

Those summoned include pediatrician brothers Constantine and Davit Chakhunashvili; their father, Dr. Giorgi Chakhunashvili; Eka Gigauri, head of Transparency International Georgia; members of the Georgian Young Lawyers Association; and citizen Zviad Maisashvili, who was severely beaten by riot police last year. All were either featured in the BBC documentary or had their work cited in the investigation, which the ruling party has dismissed as “absurd” and “a lie.”

“Instead of providing a clear and convincing answer about the chemical agents used to disperse peaceful demonstrations in November–December 2024, the State Security Service of Georgia is summoning the very individuals and organizations that defend human rights for questioning,” TI-Georgia and GYLA said in separate statements. Both organizations said that Eka Gigauri and GYLA members chose to testify before a magistrate judge.

The summoning raises strong suspicions that the authorities’ aim is “not to establish the truth,” but to pressure human rights groups and those who speak out about systemic violations, the organizations added. In the cases of Gigauri and GYLA members, they had spoken with the BBC about human rights abuses during protests and their dispersal.

Among those summoned were Constantine Chakhunashvili, who appeared in the documentary, his brother Davit Chakhunashvili, and their father, Giorgi Chakhunashvili. While only Constantine was interviewed for the film, all three were summoned over their co-authorship of a study examining the health effects of tear gas used during peaceful protests, which was cited in the BBC investigation. Their study, however, did not allege the use of camite. Another co-author, Gela Ghunashvili, was also called in.

The BBC investigation, however, relied not only on the study, but also on chemical weapons experts and whistleblowers from Georgia’s riot police and medical community in suggesting that camite, chemically known as bromobenzyl cyanide, may have been deployed during the first days of pro-EU demonstrations that began on November 28, 2024. The compound was used by France against Germany during World War I and was phased out by 1930 due to health concerns.

The report followed long-standing concerns raised by Georgian professionals and CSOs about the use of unidentified chemical compounds during the dispersal of the November–December 2024 protests in Tbilisi. Police used tear gas, pepper spray, and water cannons against protesters, with some reporting long-term effects afterward, including headaches, fatigue, coughing, shortness of breath and vomiting.

The SSSG also summoned Zviad Maisashvili, who appeared in the BBC documentary after being severely assaulted by riot police on the night of November 30, 2024.

Tata Khundadze, an activist of the Droa party, who recently posted a photo on Facebook showing facial injuries she said were caused by crowd-control measures used during the protests, was also summoned.

“When you assist a specific organization in spreading false information harmful to the state, this can be considered a criminal offense,” Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze told journalists on December 2.

Also Read:

• 02/12/2025 – Georgian Authorities Deny Use of Camite After BBC Investigation
• 02/05/2025 – GYLA Slams Authorities for Concealing Composition of Chemical Agents Used During Protest Dispersals
• 21/10/2024 – MIA Admits to Mixing Tear Gas in Water Canons During Protests Against Agents’ Law

Pashinyan claims ‘peace is established’ with Azerbaijan amid rising tensions at home  AzerNews