They Are Trying to Turn Georgia into an 'Anti-Russia': Lavrov

The West wants to make Georgia another sensitive point for Russia, declared Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in an interview with television journalist Dmitry Kiselev.

"I have no doubt that they want to turn Georgia into another sensitive point for Russia, to return the situation to the aggressive times of Saakashvili. The West is trying and continues to try to transform Georgia into an 'anti-Russia,'" Lavrov stated.

According to the Russian Foreign Minister, to create a constructive atmosphere in the region, Russia is promoting the '3+3' format, involving Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, and Iran. "The first contact has taken place; we will continue," he noted, also referring to Georgia-related events of previous years, indicating that in the early 2000s, Russia and Georgia discussed the establishment of a joint center for combating terrorism in the territory of one of the former Russian military bases in Georgia.

"When the military bases left, when we completed our part of the deal, Saakashvili categorically refused to create that anti-terrorism center. In those good times, no one doubted that Georgia would attack South Ossetia. But even during that peaceful period, characterized by a desire to build new relations, we were deceived, this time by Saakashvili. There is no doubt that his curators urged him, saying that there is no need to create any joint center with Russia," Lavrov pointed out.

Addressing the current government's position in Georgia, the Russian Foreign Minister noted that they are guided by national interests, despite Western calls to open a 'second front' against Russia. "I am simply quoting the words of the Prime Minister and ministers of Georgia, who, in response to the unprecedented pressure from the West to join the sanctions against Russia and to create a second front against Russia, say: 'You know, we are guided by our national interests; we are trading with Russia, we have tourism, we receive energy resources, and this serves the interests of the Georgian state and the Georgian people,'" Lavrov added.