January 11 2008, 11:22

Georgian wine-makers want to arrange the re-entry to Russian market

The Union of Georgian wine-makers has sent today the proposal on cooperation to Hennadiy Onischenko, the Chief of Russian Consumer Inspection; to their opinion, the implementation of this proposal is able to benefit to the solution of the problem of Georgian wines supplies to Russian market.

Levan Koberidze, the Chairman of the Union of Georgian wine-makers, informed RIA "NewRegion" that, in particular, wine-makers are ready to provide the status of observers to Russian controlling authorities and to invite them to Georgia for the monitoring of grape harvesting, RBK informs.

Also, wine-makers offer to let Russian party learn about the terms of terms of delivery, turnover and storage of pesticides applied in viniculture. They also plan to perform the constant lab control of wines supplied on the territory of Russian Federation jointly with Russian Consumer Inspection.

Also, the Union proposes to create the joint group which should discuss the relevant problems in January 2008. A catalog of regulatory documents, related to grape and wine production in Georgia, and a list of the major steps of the control of the technological processes in wine production are attached to the proposal letter.

On the 8th of January, on air of "Moscow Echo" radio Hennadiy Onischenko announced the readiness of Russian party to negotiate the re-entry of Georgian wines and mineral waters to Russian market. "If such intention is expressed, we are ready to set our proposals in the same regime as we did with Moldovan party - we require on-site visits and relevant inspections", Mr. Onischenko observed.

On the 9th of January Vladimir Gurgenidze, the Prime-Minister of Georgia, instructed the Government of the country to estimate "to what extent the re-entry of our products to Russian market is possible in realistic terms".

He said, "we need to analyze all announcements done by Mr. Onischenko during two recent years, to correctly respond to them and to decide in which form, regime and format to resume the dialog".

The Union of Georgian wine-makers unites 17 leading wine-producing companies which export their products. In particular, they are GWS, "Teliani Veli", "Tbilvino", "Telavskiy wine cellar" and others.