Georgian Prime Minister’s special representative for relations with Russia, Zurab Abashidze, said after meeting with Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Grigory Karasin in Prague on March 1, that Moscow was considering easing visa rules for the Georgian citizens.

It was the second meeting of the two diplomats after Georgia’s new government announced about its intention to mend ties with Russia.

Abashidze said that during the talks the both sides noted that since their first meeting “practical steps have been undertaken in respect of trade relations, which should contribute to resumption of Georgian export to the Russian market.”

“In parallel, work is underway on restoring transportation links, in particular restoration of regular flights,” Abashidze said.

“The Russian side is considering easing existing visa regime” for the Georgian citizens, he said.

Abashidze said that possible easing of visa rules would probably apply to “certain categories”; he, however, also said that no timeframe of when it might happen had been specified during the talks.

Georgia unilaterally lifted visa rules for the Russian citizens in late February, 2012.

Abashidze also said that science and healthcare were identified as two additional areas, which should become part of discussions in frames of this bilateral dialogue.

“Importance of Geneva Discussions and the necessity to continue these Discussions in frames of internationally agreed format has been stressed during the meeting,” Abashidze said.

He also said that his next meeting with Karasin would take place after about two months.