Abashidze Zurab

Zurab Abashidze (b. June 11, 1951, Tbilisi) is a diplomat, doctor of Political Science (2001), professor of Tbilisi State University (since 2014). In 1973 he graduated from the Maurice Thorez Institute of Foreign Languages (now Moscow State Linguistic University). In 1978–1980 he served as the attaché of the Consulate General of the USSR in Mumbai (India); In 1984–1988 — counselor of the USSR Embassy in Spain; In 1988–1992 — Chairman of the Georgian Society for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries.

While working in India, he located the grave of Queen Ketevan the Martyr in St. Augustine’s Church of Goa.

After the restoration of the state independence of Georgia, Abashidze became the head of the country's first diplomatic missions to the European Union and NATO in 1993–2000; At the same time, in 1993–2000 – he was the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Benelux countries; In 2000 — he was the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia; In 2000–2004 — Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Russian Federation; In 2001, Abashidze was awarded the doctoral degree in Political Science for his work — Georgia-NATO relations.

Since 2006 he has been the editor-in-chief of the Irakli Abashidze Main Scientific Editorial Office of the Georgian Encyclopedia; In 2012–2024 he was a special representative of the Prime Minister of Georgia for relations with the Russian Federation. From March 2024 - Counselor of the Prime-Minister of Georgia.

From 2022 — he has  also been a member of the Presidium of the Georgian National Academy of Sciences, as well as of the Academic Board of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University.

Z. Abashidze is the winner of Michel Mouskhely Prize of the National Academy of Sciences of Georgia (2024), for his book "Cold War: Journey to the Present Past".

 

Literary works: ნატო და საქართველო: უტოპიიდან რეალობისაკენ, თბ., 2000; ცივი ომი: წარსული თუ დღევანდელობა?, თბ., 2009; დანგრეული კედლის ჩრდილში: 1990–1999, თბ., 2012; ცივი ომი: მოგზაურობა დღევანდელ წარსულში, თბ., 2021.