Russia and Georgia have agreed to reopen a border crossing next March. It is also planned to resume air traffic between the two countries, but no date for a resumption of flights has been set.

Russia and Georgia closed their borders to each other in July 2006 following a dispute over Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, home to many ethnic Russians. The row led to a brief war between the two countries in August 2008.

Georgia has welcomed the reopening of the border as an important step towards the resumption of diplomatic ties. The crossing to be reopened is the only one that does not go through either South Ossetia or Abkhazia.

Neighbouring Armenia and Turkey have for a long time been calling for the Verkhny Lars crossing to be reopened. It is located in a pass through the Caucasus and is an important trade route.

photo: soldiers in Russian-Georgian war (Wikipedia)