Georgia is considering dropping visa restrictions for Russians imposed last week after Tbilisi severed diplomatic relations with Moscow over the South Ossetia conflict, Russian daily Kommersant said on Tuesday.

Georgia broke off ties last week after Russia recognized breakaway South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states. Russia`s decision followed a conflict triggered by Georgia`s artillery bombardment of South Ossetia.

Tbilisi said last week it was shutting down its embassy in Moscow, leaving only a consular service to meet the needs of up to one million Georgians residing in Russia. Russians, who could earlier obtain Georgian visas at any checkpoints on the shared border for $20 dollars, now have to apply for them in Georgian consulates in third countries.

Kommersant cited a source in Georgia`s Foreign Ministry as saying that authorities in the Caucasus state could reinstate the previous visa regime as of next week.

Russian media reports have said the break in diplomatic relations could cause major difficulties for hundreds of thousands of Georgian guest workers living in Russia, many of whom lack legal work permits.

Georgians working in Russia send $1.2-$2 billion to their country annually, equivalent to more than 20% of Georgia`s budget revenue and accounting for 60% of all monetary transfers from abroad.

Georgia`s withdrawal from the post-Soviet Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in the wake of the South Ossetia crisis is also likely to cause problems for Georgians living and working in other former Soviet republics.
sections: Politics