Georgia leader hails Moscow talks

MOSCOW, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and acting Georgian leader Nino Burjanadze have held talks aimed at mending ties strained by the Chechnya conflict.

After the Moscow talks, Burjanadze called the visit a "breakthrough," the BBC reported Friday.

Putin said Russia was interested in ensuring Georgia was strong, independent and self-sufficient.

Tensions between the two countries have grown recently over a number of issues, including Moscow's charges that Tbilisi is harboring Chechen rebels.

A Kremlin source said the two sides had considered ways "to eliminate negative developments in Russian-Georgia ties."

Ties between the two sides have also been strained over Tbilisi's charges that Russia is trying to undermine its sovereignty by easing a visa regime for residents of the rebellious region of Ajaria.

The Ajarian leader, Aslan Abashidze, has already said he does not recognize the new government in Tbilisi as legitimate.