Related: Bush, Putin sticks to "united position" on
Iran, White House says
Detained Russian military officers handed over
to OSCE
MOSCOW, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir
Putin had a telephone conversation with his U.S. counterpart George W. Bush,
saying no third party should be involved in the row over Georgia's arrest of
four Russian officers last week, a president spokesman said on Monday.
"Russia said any actions taken by third countries
that might be considered by Georgia's leadership encouragement of its
destructive policy were unacceptable and dangerous for peace and stability in
the region," presidential press secretary Alexei Gromov was quoted by the
Itar-Tass news agency as saying.
Relations between Moscow and Tbilisi have been
increasingly strained since Georgian authorities arrested four Russian officers
last week, charging them with spying activities.
Russia has recalled its ambassador in Tbilisi and
evacuated its citizens.
Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first
public comments on the crisis on Sunday, denouncing the arrest as "an act of
state terrorism involving the taking of hostages."
The four officers have been handed over to the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Chairman-in-Office
Karelde Gucht on Monday, and then to Russian diplomats. They went back to Moscow
aboard a Russian Emergency Situations ministry plane on Monday night.
The conversation was held at the request of the
United States. Putin and Bush also discussed Iranian nuclear issues and the
schedule of further contacts.
According to the presidential press service, both
sides stressed the need to continue consultations, which will be primarily aimed
at solving nonproliferation problems. Enditem
 |
|
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) speaks
during his meeting with his envoys to Russian federal districts at
Bocharov Ruchei residence outside Sochi, Oct. 1, 2006. Vladimir Putin today
likened Georgia's leadership to the enforcer of Joseph Stalin's murderous
purges, Interfax reported, continuing a war of words ignited by Tbilisi's
arrest of four Russian officers on spying charges. (Xinhua/AFP
Photo)
Photo Gallery
>>> |
