Both Russian president Vladimir Putin and his Georgian counterpart Mikhail Saakashvili declared yesterday evening that their one-to-one talks requested by the latter, in order to mend their sour ties concerning many controversial disputes, have ended with inconclusive results.

Their last but one meeting occurred in 2004, and then Georgia's ties with the former Soviet Union got cold after the former declared that it is a close ally of the United States and thus, would position the country nearer to the Western world.

In an interview with reporters from several news agencies, gathered in Saint Petersburg, where the round of negotiations had taken place, Putin declared that the main reason their relationship continues to be tense is because they do not adopt a common adequate level of communication: "The discussion was helpful. As far as mutual recriminations and criticisms are concerned, these arise because we do not have the right level of contacts".

In exchange, Saakashvili was more radical in his comments, declaring that the situation is more confused now than it was before: "Most of the problems (between us) remain unresolved. Unfortunately, for the time being we have more questions than answers".

Moscow and Tbilisi official authorities have been at political odds for many months now, with Georgia accusing Russia for attempting to weaken it, by supporting separatist movements in territories such as South Orestia and Abkhazia, in order to reprimand the country to choosing to move out of the Russian orbit of political influence and expressing its willingness to join NATO and the European Union.

In reply, Russia believes Tbilisi is only trying to find a "scapegoat" in Moscow, in order to hide its failing domestic policies. Moreover, Russia banned all wine, mineral water and fruit imports from Georgia, causing great economic strife in the small country that depended on them.