Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili welcomes Upper Lars checkpoint opening and considers that Russia indirectly avowed its mistake for imposing embargo against Georgia in 2005, Georgian President Spokesperson Manana Manjgaladze said at the March 2 briefing.

“Checkpoint opening means that Russia opens borders. This signifies that Georgia will have legitimate checkpoint on one of Russian border portions. Thus, Russia accepted demise of imposed embargo,” she noted referring to president’s words.

As to regional security, Saakashvili considers that closed borders “pose greater threat from armed people than open and legitimate ones.” She also emphasized that recent policy on close borders fell short of expectations.

Spokesperson reaffirmed Saakashvili’s stance, that Tbilisi-Moscow relations will be normalized only after Russia recognizes Georgia’s territorial integrity.