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Georgian Church Leader to Discuss Reconciliation in Moscow
Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II
© RIA Novosti. Sergei Pyatakov
TBILISI, January 20 (RIA Novosti) - Catholicos Patriarch of All
Georgia Ilia II will arrive in Moscow on Sunday on a visit that could
create a general background for progress in bilateral relations which
have been almost non-existent since the two countries fought a brief
war in August 2008.
`I am going to Moscow to discuss issues that are vital for Georgia,'
Ilia II said on Saturday after the Epiphany service at the Holy
Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi.
The Georgian Orthodox Church leader is expected to meet with Patriarch
of Moscow and All Russia Kirill and the Russian leadership during his
six-day visit.
On Monday, Ilia II will receive an award of the International Fund for
the Unity of the Orthodox Peoples in recognition of his contribution
to strengthening ties between Orthodox believers and churches around
the world.
The Georgian patriarch, who is known to be a strong advocate of
normalizing relations with Russia, maintains active ties with the
Russian Orthodox Church.
On January 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Ilia II
on his 80th birthday and 35th anniversary of enthronement.
`We greatly value your warm attitude toward Russia and the Russian
Orthodox Church. Your personal efforts...have greatly helped in
maintaining the centuries-long ties of friendship and mutual
understanding between our peoples during difficult phases of history,'
Putin said in his greetings message.
Georgia broke off diplomatic relations with Russia after their August
2008 war over Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgia lost one-fifth of
its territory after the two republics broke away.
Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, whose Georgian Dream
coalition won the October 1 parliamentary election, said in November
that Tbilisi is restarting its ties with Moscow `from a clean slate'
but that restoration of diplomatic relations will be linked to the
issue of Georgia's territorial integrity.
Moscow, however, keeps ruling out any negotiations on the status of
Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which Russia recognized as independent
states.
Official representatives of Russia and Georgia held a meeting on
December 14 in Geneva in a first attempt to launch the reconciliation
process.
Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II
© RIA Novosti. Sergei Pyatakov
TBILISI, January 20 (RIA Novosti) - Catholicos Patriarch of All
Georgia Ilia II will arrive in Moscow on Sunday on a visit that could
create a general background for progress in bilateral relations which
have been almost non-existent since the two countries fought a brief
war in August 2008.
`I am going to Moscow to discuss issues that are vital for Georgia,'
Ilia II said on Saturday after the Epiphany service at the Holy
Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi.
The Georgian Orthodox Church leader is expected to meet with Patriarch
of Moscow and All Russia Kirill and the Russian leadership during his
six-day visit.
On Monday, Ilia II will receive an award of the International Fund for
the Unity of the Orthodox Peoples in recognition of his contribution
to strengthening ties between Orthodox believers and churches around
the world.
The Georgian patriarch, who is known to be a strong advocate of
normalizing relations with Russia, maintains active ties with the
Russian Orthodox Church.
On January 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Ilia II
on his 80th birthday and 35th anniversary of enthronement.
`We greatly value your warm attitude toward Russia and the Russian
Orthodox Church. Your personal efforts...have greatly helped in
maintaining the centuries-long ties of friendship and mutual
understanding between our peoples during difficult phases of history,'
Putin said in his greetings message.
Georgia broke off diplomatic relations with Russia after their August
2008 war over Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgia lost one-fifth of
its territory after the two republics broke away.
Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, whose Georgian Dream
coalition won the October 1 parliamentary election, said in November
that Tbilisi is restarting its ties with Moscow `from a clean slate'
but that restoration of diplomatic relations will be linked to the
issue of Georgia's territorial integrity.
Moscow, however, keeps ruling out any negotiations on the status of
Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which Russia recognized as independent
states.
Official representatives of Russia and Georgia held a meeting on
December 14 in Geneva in a first attempt to launch the reconciliation
process.