Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) meets with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in Moscow on Oct. 26. De Hoop Scheffer has urged Russia to lift punitive sanctions against its southern neighbour Georgia during a visit that was intended to ease tensions between the Western military alliance and Moscow. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    MOSCOW, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on Thursday urged Russia to lift sanctions against Georgia, which were introduced earlier in autumn.

    "This is the moment for moderation and de-escalation on all sides, on both sides. Also that means the sanctions, the measures which have been ... put in place, that I would hope that the time has now come to lift these measures," de Hoop Scheffer told a news conference after talks in Moscow.

    He was referring to sanctions imposed by Russia after Georgia arrested and briefly held four Russian officers on spying charges.

    Relations between Russia and Georgia, which seeks NATO membership, plunged to an all-time low after Tbilisi briefly detained four Russian officers on spying charges last month.

    De Hoop Scheffer arrived in Moscow on Wednesday on a two-day working visit, for talks with Russian officials on cooperation between the bloc and Russia.