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Georgia seeks stronger trade and economic cooperation with Russia

In summer, Georgia resumed the export of its mineral water, alcohol beverages and some agricultural products to Russia, what increased the two countries’ trade

Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili EPA/ZURAB KURTSIKIDZE

Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili

© EPA/ZURAB KURTSIKIDZE

TBILISI, December 04. /ITAR-TASS/. Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili said his country sought broader trade and economic cooperation with Russia.

“The talks saying that in the future Russia will use the two countries’ stronger trade to exert pressure on Georgia should not serve as a ground for not expanding economic cooperation with Russia,” he said in an interview with Rustavi 2 television channel on Tuesday. “Nobody should fear that the trade with Russia may reach such a level that its future reduction may destabilize the situation in Georgia.”

In summer, Georgia resumed the export of its mineral water, alcohol beverages and some agricultural products to Russia, what increased the two countries’ trade. In 2009-2012 and the first six months of 2013 Russia ranked fifth-seventh in Georgia’s foreign trade. Since August it has moved into fourth place after Turkey, Azerbaijan and Ukraine.

According to the Georgian national statistics service, in January-October the two countries’ trade reached $591.6 million, making up 6.9% of Georgia’s total foreign trade. Over the past ten months Georgia exported to Russia goods worth $130.9 million and imported goods worth $460.7 million.

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