The Swedish Foreign Ministry has neither confirmed nor denied the Svenska Dagbladet reports. The Swedish embassy in Russia has so far declined to comment.
Amiran Kavadze told the newspaper that the request was understandable given that diplomatic relations between Georgia and Russia had been severed. He added that several countries had already proposed to Georgia that they represent the South Caucasus country's interests in Russia.
"In the case of Sweden, this is a request from Georgia. Switzerland will represent Russia's interests in Georgia, so why can't Sweden represent Georgia in Russia?" the ambassador was quoted as saying.
"If Russia considers Georgia a state, then they must have someone to hold talks with," the newspaper quoted the Swedish "expert on Russia," Kristian Gerner, as saying.
Georgia severed diplomatic relations with Russia after a five-day war over South Ossetia in August that subsequently saw Russia recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another breakaway Georgian republic, as independent states. The conflict began when Georgian forces attacked South Ossetia in a bid to regain control over the republic.
Abkhazia and South Ossetia broke away from Georgia following the collapse of the Soviet Union amid armed conflicts that claimed thousands of lives.
