PORTOROZ, Slovenia, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on Friday called on Georgia and Russia to "moderate and de-escalate the tension" between the two countries over the arrest of four Russian servicemen in Georgia.

    Speaking after talks with Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov at the NATO-Russia Council, Scheffer said NATO was not playing any direct part in this bilateral dispute, but he had asked a member of his staff to speak with the Georgian deputy foreign minister to urge moderation.

    Scheffer is in the Slovenian seaside resort of Portoroz for the informal meeting of NATO defense ministers and the formal session of the NATO-Russia Council.

    His appeal came after an escalation of the tension between Russia and Georgia after the arrest of four Russian servicemen, who have been charged with espionage by Georgia.

    Addressing the press, Ivanov accused Georgia of wanting to expel Russian peacekeepers by force, trying to resolve the conflicts in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia by the use of military pressure and then applying for NATO membership.

    Ivanov said that Russia was not involved in the conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, adding that Russia had no intention of annexing the disputed territories. Enditem