TBILISI, September 30 (RIA Novosti) - Russian Ambassador Vyacheslav Kovalenko left Georgia along with 22 embassy officials on Tuesday, a month after Tbilisi severed diplomatic ties with Moscow.
Relations were broken off after a short military conflict with Russia over South Ossetia in August and Russia's subsequent recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the other Georgian breakaway republic.
"Several diplomats will stay here [in Tbilisi]. Maintenance staff will remain to take care of the embassy building, which is Russia's property," Kovalenko told reporters before leaving.
On arriving in Moscow, Kovalenko told reporters that Georgia must make the first steps to bring relations with Russia back to normal, and change its confrontational policy toward Russia.
"I think it is in the interests of Georgia itself," the diplomat said. "Georgia should not ally itself with someone against someone else. I think Georgia should be friends with everybody, using this friendship for the sake of its national interests."
Kovalenko also described Georgia as an economically weak country with a poor population.
"Good neighborly relations with Russia and economic ties with Russia would certainly help Georgia develop its economy, instead of beefing up its military potential."
Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states on August 26, two weeks after it had expelled Georgian troops from South Ossetia following Tbilisi's August 8 military offensive against the republic.
