Moscow, 16 December: The Russian Public Chamber will apply to the Russian leaders with a request to resume direct air service between Moscow and Tbilisi.

"The initiative to resume the air service was proposed at a meeting of representatives from Russia and Georgia today. In my opinion, it is an important symbol of mending the relations," Vyacheslav Nikonov, member of the Public Chamber Council and the head of the intercommission working group for international activities, told Interfax on Tuesday (16 December).

"This initiative has to be considered by the Public Chamber Council. Its next meeting is set for 26 December," he said.

Nikonov noted that the world practice has precedents when regular air service exists between countries that do not have diplomatic relations.

Maksim Shevchenko, member of the Public Chamber, who is taking an active part in the organization of the Russia-Georgian dialogue at the public level, told Interfax that the chamber would write to Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov asking to resume the air service with Georgia.