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Georgian opposition used Russian delegation’s visit for unrest — Russian Foreign Ministry

Several hundred demonstrators who joined the protesting opposition in the evening of Thursday tried to force their way into the parliament building

MOSCOW, June 21. /TASS/. Georgia’s radically-minded opposition used the Russian delegation’s visit to the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy for staging unrest, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin told TASS on Friday.

"The Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, long ago slated to be held Tbilisi, was obviously used by the radical part of the opposition for staging street unrest," Karasin said." This merely emphasizes the emotional charge of the radical part of Georgian politicians, who have been doing all they can to upset the normalization of relations between Moscow and Tbilisi."

At the same time, Karasin said, it is most important to ensure "the participants in the assembly be not hurt and return home."

"As for the question of our relations, we will push ahead with persistent efforts to mend and step up our relations with Tbilisi," Karasin said.

Several hundred demonstrators who joined the protesting opposition in the evening of Thursday tried to force their way into the building of parliament. They were demanding the resignation of the Interior Minister and the speaker of parliament. According to Georgian media several dozen people were detained.

The rally was triggered by a row of the participation of Russian State Duma member Sergei Gavrilov and other delegates from Russia in the 26th session of the General Assembly of the International Assembly on Orthodoxy in Tbilisi.