Georgia, Russia trying to restore trade relations

The delegation of Georgian Agriculture Ministry has left for Moscow on Sunday morning for talks to restore trade relations. As head of delegation, chairman of the National Wine Agency Levan Davitashvili told reporters, a meeting with Russia's chief sanitary doctor Gennady Onishchenko will be held during the visit.

Georgian delegation consists of seven members, representing National Wine Agency, National Food Agency, Wine Association and a company for export of vegetables and fruits.

"The meetings will run for two or three days. Several rounds of talks will be held. It is possible that following these meetings, the Russian side will be willing to visit Georgia and we would welcome this," Davitashvili said, noting that the talks will be held on the return of Georgian products falling within the phytosanitary inspection to Russian market.

Davitashvili confirmed the Russian side's statement that the negotiations will touch on bottled, not bulk wine, adding that the Georgian side emphasizes production of quality wines, although the risk of fraud is less in the bulk wine production.