MOSCOW, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Wednesday that he would not allow provocations and blackmail targeting his country from Georgia, in comments on the dispute with the Caucasus nation over its detention of Russian officers.

    "I would not advise anybody to speak to Russia in the future using the language of provocations and blackmail," Putin said at a meeting in the Kremlin with leaders of parliamentary factions, the Interfax news agency reported.

    The president thanked lawmakers for "their support of measures being taken by the executive branch aimed at protecting the rights, dignity and lives of our citizens."

    "National consensus on the fundamental international issues is one of the major foundations of Russia's foreign policy course," he said.

    The arrest of four Russian officers in Georgia on spying charges last week triggered strong protest from Russia, with Putin publicly denouncing it as "an act of state terrorism." Georgia later released the officers and they have returned to Russia.

    But Moscow slapped sweeping economic sanctions on Tbilisi, cutting postal, air, road, rail and sea links with Georgia. Earlier, Russia recalled its ambassador from Georgia and evacuated some of the Russian personnel there.

    The spying row has added to an already tense relationship between Russia and Georgia. Ties have been strained by the Georgian leadership's bid to join NATO and a Russian ban on imports of Georgian wines. Enditem