Russia's transport ministry has cleared Georgian Airways to operate charter flights between Tbilisi and Moscow, as well as St. Petersburg, in a sign of easing tensions following the two countries' brief war in August 2008.
The authorization initially covered 29 and 30 December, but the airline said the permit arrived too late to arrange services on those dates. Charter flights are now expected to run from 6 to 25 January, connecting Tbilisi with both Russian cities.
Direct air links had been severed when fighting broke out over South Ossetia, a separatist Georgian region backed by Moscow. The suspension came only four months after service had resumed from a previous 18-month embargo.
The flight clearance came alongside a separate agreement to reopen the Upper Lars land crossing, the only border point between the two countries that bypasses South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Switzerland helped broker that deal.
Georgian Airways said it had not yet received a Russian response on resuming regular scheduled service.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in December 2009, in its own words.