Moscow’s “irritation” over Georgia’s close ties with NATO is not a surprise, because “unfortunately” it is in line with Russia’s general policy towards its neighbors, Giga Bokeria, secretary of Georgian National Security Council, said on April 20.  

“As long as Moscow’s [current policy] remains, any step made by Georgia in direction of Euro-Atlantic space will cause [Moscow’s] irritation,” Bokeria said, adding that he hopes Russia’s such approach will change.

He said that there also was no sign of change in Russia’s current “illegitimate position” over its internationally undertaken commitments, including towards “de-occupation” of parts of Georgia, which he said, was demonstrated in the recent statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on April 19, that a joint statement of NATO-Georgia Commission includes “usual set of biased wordings”, which were far from realities on the ground in respect of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In particular it criticized the part of the statement, in which NATO foreign ministers called on Russia to follow its commitments under the August 12 and September 8, 2008 ceasefire accords. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that “the only remaining disputed issue” in respect of those ceasefire accords was resolved after Russia withdrew its troops from the village of Perevi last October.