Related: Russia accuses 4 British diplomats of spying

         Britain denies Russia's spy accusation

    MOSCOW, Jan. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday he is still undecided about whether or not to expel the four British diplomats who Moscow accused of spying.

    "As far as I am concerned, my opinion is that if these intelligence agents are expelled, they will send new ones. These new people may prove to be smart. In this case, we will have much trouble spotting them," Putin told a press conference in St. Petersburg, quoted by the Interfax news agency.

    Putin instructed the Foreign Ministry and the Federal Security Service (FSB) to present proposals on the matter.

    On Monday, the FSB said it had uncovered four British diplomats who were engaged in spying activities in Moscow that included use of a communication device hidden in a rock to collect data and funding of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Russia.

    "As a rule, intelligence agents working under diplomatic cover in various countries have been deported from the country in question in recent years. I do not know whether it is right or wrong, but such trends have been observed in recent years," the president said.

    In a related development earlier in the day, the lower house of Russia's parliament condemned foreign intelligence services' support for NGOs in Russia.

    In a statement issued by the State Duma, deputies expressed concern about "the funding of NGOs by individuals engaged in intelligence activities on the territory of Russia, namely some staff members of the British embassy." Enditem