Georgia to free Russian 'spies'
By Niki Owen,WNS Moscow Correspondent
MOSCOW - Georgia has said it will hand over to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe four Russian military officers charged with spying. A spokesman for Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said the transfer "ceremony" would take place on Monday. Last week's arrest of the four officers triggered a furious political row between Moscow and Tbilisi. Russia said the charges were absurd. It recalled its ambassador and evacuated some of its staff in Georgia.
"Today, after the briefing of the OSCE chairman and the Georgian president... the four Russian military officers who were detained will be transferred to OSCE representatives," President Saakashvili's spokesman said. He was referring to talks scheduled for Monday between Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht, who currently holds the OSCE chair, and Mr Saakashvili in Tbilisi. There has been no reaction to the latest development yet from Moscow.
On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Georgia of state terrorism over the arrests, and of trying to provoke Moscow. Mr Saakashvili has said Russia wants to destabilise his country because of its pro-western stance.
posted by wnsworld @ 10:02 AM
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