«Increase of gas tariffs by Russia for Russian gas supplies should not seriously affect the strategic relations,» stated Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian during a joint news conference with his Georgian counterpart Gela Bezhuashvili in Yerevan today. In his words, Armenia-Russia strategic relations are based on such matters as security and physical protection, and thus making conclusions is premature, one should wait for completion of the talks. In his turn G. Bezhuashvili stated that Georgia continues considering Russia's decision to increase gas tariffs as «exclusively political.» «At the same time we are ready to pay that price to pursue an independent policy,» the Georgian FM said.