OBLIGATION OF THE VISAS BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE GEORGIE EAST IN
FORCE








MOSCOW, March 1.  (Corr. Ria " Novosti ").  The obligation of the
visas between Russia and Georgie is entree into force integralement on
March 1.

In the month of aoOet 2000, Russia has advertisement which it
suspended its participation has the Agreement of Bichkek on the
voyages without visas of the citizens of the Community of the States
independants.  Considering the absence of Russo-georgien a bilateral
agreement and in accordance with the Russian legislation, Moscow has
informs Tbilissi of the introduction, December 5 2000, obligation of
the visas for Georgie.

Later, the parts are agreed to introduce, until March 1, a mode
privilegie of crossing of frontiers for the inhabitants of the
frontier territories like for the Russian soldiers being useful in
Georgie and the members of their families.  According to official
data's, 200.000 nationals georgiens live in Russia and send every year
some 500 million dollars in their native land, which is almost three
times superior with the budget georgien.

According to diplomatic sources' has Moscow, the Russo-georgiens talks
which are deroulent these days succeeded " has progress relating to
the re-establishment of the mode without visas between the two parts,
although each shutter of the talks requires long DEBATES ".

Like has it releve the Russian ministry of the Businesses etrangeres,
the introdution of the obligation of the visas did not aim at of
deteriorer the relationship between Russia and Georgie or of creer of
the artificial barriers for the contacts between the citizens of the
two countries.  Moscow has ete obliges to take this measurement for
defendre the national interests and to reinforce the security on its
border meridionale, in particular following the events which had taken
place on the troncon tchetchene of the Russo-georgienne border in the
second 2000 half of.

Since the beginning of the operation antiterrorist in Tchetchenie,
many people cross the border meridionale of Russia to take part in the
engagements.  They are not only Tchetchenes but also mercenaries come
from other countries.  In this context, Russia has ete obligee to take
supplementary measures to lock its border meridionale.

According to the Russian ministry of the Businesses etrangeres, Russia
has several times stresses that she did not want empecher the contacts
between the people of the two countries.  Russia respects the
souverainete and the territorial integrite of Georgie and preconise
the development of good neighbourliness between the two countries.