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Global

Russia warns Georgia against joining NATO


    By Oleg Shchedrov

    NOVO-OGARYOVO, Russia (Reuters) - Russian PresidentVladimir Putin welcomed moves by Georgia's leader to improveties but warned him on Thursday against joining NATO.

    "As far as NATO expansion is concerned, Putin told(Mikhail) Saakashvili that we see no real reasons for that andwarned of consequences of such a step to Russia-Georgiarelations," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

    Relations between Russia and Georgia have dipped to near anall-time low since a spy row in October 2006. Georgia arresteda handful of Russian spies in Tbilisi and the Kremlin respondedby cutting transport and trade links.

    Tensions have worsened because president Saakashvili hassteered Georgia towards NATO and European Union membershipwhile Russia supports the two Georgian breakaway republics ofAbkhazia and South Ossetia.

    "President Putin has clearly identified conditions fornormalising bilateral relations which include strict adherencethrough agreements concerning Abkhazia and South Ossetia whichtake into account the interests of both sides," Lavrov said.

    Both Abkhazia and South Ossetia fought wars against Georgiaafter the 1991 break-up of the Soviet Union.

    Saakashvili rose to power in a peaceful 2003 revolution andwon re-election in Georgia in January and immediately promisedto mend damaged ties.

    "I hope that the positive tendencies, typical of the earlystage of my presidency which were later pushed back, will berestored and we'll be able, if not to start from a blank page,to give a new energy to our relations," Saakashvili said beforethe meeting with Putin.

    Putin appeared to echo these sentiments. "On a number ofissues we see a trend towards improvement," he said.

    Georgia and Russia have said they are moving towardsresuming normal economic and transport links between the twocountries -- including air services, trade links and postalservices -- which were cut after the 2006 spy row.

    Georgia's foreign minister said air links would be restorednext month, which could mean the revival of direct flightsbetween Moscow and Tbilisi.

    "It is expected that in the second half of March flightswill be restored," David Bakradze told Georgian television.

    (Reporting by Oleg Shchedrov; writing by James Kilner;editing by Robert Woodward)