TBILISI, July 31. /ITAR-TASS/. Georgian prime minister’s special envoy for relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze “does not see any tragedy in Russia’s intention to suspend the effect of the free trade treaty with Georgia.”

Abashidze told reporters so on Thursday in comments on reports that the Russian Ministry of Economic Development had prepared a draft decision on Russia’s suspension of the effect of the above-mentioned agreement signed on February 3, 1994. Georgia “has not received any official notification from Russia about this,” Abashidze said.

“Russia’s taking of this decision will generate some problems in development of trade relations between Georgia and Russia, but there will be no tragedy in this, because trade relations between the two countries continued according to the rules which are in effect between the World Trade Organisation WTO member states,” he said.

“When Georgia was preparing for signing an association agreement with the European Union and we were analysing development of trade with Russia, we did not rule out that Russia might decide to suspend the effect of the free trade agreement with Georgia,” Abashidze said.

Russia plans to suspend the effect of the free trade treaty with Georgia, ITAR-TASS reported earlier. Russian Ministry of Economic Development has prepared a draft resolution of the government.

In late July the EU has signed the Association Agreements with Georgia and Moldova and an economic block of the association deal with Ukraine. These agreements envisage harmonisation of legislations of these countries according to European legal provisions and creation of a free trade zone with the EU. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on the issue that Russia might introduce protective measures for the country’s economy over the association deals between the EU and Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova which are integrated in the free trade zone with Russia at the same time.