BRUSSELS, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Russian envoy to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, said on Thursday that there will be a firm response from Moscow to NATO's decision to expel two Russian diplomats from its headquarters.

    Rogozin confirmed that two officials from the Russian mission to NATO have had their accreditation canceled.

    "The response will be clear and tough," Rogozin told reporters in Brussels.

    The two Russian officials were declared personae non grata by NATO for alleged involvement in espionage. But Rogozin denied that they were spying.

    "We regard the decision taken by the alliance as a provocation. Its timing is in no way accidental," said the Russian mission in a statement.

    "It appears that some members of NATO are discontent with the way Russia-NATO relations have recently been developing, and they provoke an international scandal on purpose, going all out in their attempt to disrupt Russian re-engagement with the alliance along with a reset in relations between Russia and the United States," said the statement.

    The two diplomats -- Viktor Kochukov, a senior counselor for political affairs, and Vasily Chizhov, an attache and security officer -- were declared unwelcome by NATO on Wednesday, the same day when NATO and Russia resumed formal talks after a freeze of eight months.

    "The fact that this announcement was made immediately after the first formal NATO-Russia Council meeting at the level of ambassadors since the freeze of NRC work in August 2008, where questions relating to the upcoming meeting of ministers of foreign affairs of NRC member states were discussed, creates a tense atmosphere and sets the wrong tone for the whole process of resuming Russia-NATO cooperation," said the statement.

    "This decision might call into question this very (NRC) meeting, which is aimed at re-launching the whole process of re-engagement in NATO-Russia Council activities," it added.

    The statement said the NATO decision is regrettable and that Russia is considering possible response measures.

    The statement echoed a Russian Foreign Ministry statement, which labeled the NATO decision as provocation.

    "We have learned about a provocative act against two staff members of the Russian mission at NATO, whom the alliance security service would like to expel from Brussels under a far-fetched pretext and without any clear explanations," said the ministry in a statement.

    "We urge all NATO members to think about the consequences of what happened. We will certainly make our own conclusions from this provocation," it said.

    It is believed that the two diplomats were accused of involvement in a spy scandal, in which a former Estonian diplomat, Herman Simm, allegedly passed on NATO secrets to Moscow. Simm was jailed for more than 12 years in February.

    One of the diplomats to be expelled, Vasily Chizhov, is the son of Russia's ambassador to the European Union, Vladimir Chizhov.

    NATO has refused to comment on the expulsion. 

Russia confirms NATO's expulsion of two diplomats

    MOSCOW, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Russian permanent representative to NATO Dmitry Rogozin confirmed on Thursday that two Russian diplomats have been expelled by the alliance for alleged espionage, Russian news agencies reported Thursday.

    The two are the Russian mission's senior adviser and political desk chief Viktor Kochukov and mission attache and executive secretary Vasily Chizhov, the Interfax news agency quoted Rogozin as saying. Full story

Russia says NATO's expulsion of Russian diplomats provocative

    MOSCOW, April 30 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday that the expulsion of two of its diplomats to the NATO headquarters in Brussels is a "provocation," news agencies reported.

    Moscow will make proper conclusions from the provocative expulsion, said the ministry. Full story

Russian envoy blasts NATO exercises in Georgia

    BRUSSELS, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Russian envoy to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, on Wednesday blasted NATO's planned military exercises in Georgia, labelling them as "totally out of place."

    Rogozin, who met formally for the first time in eight months with ambassadors of NATO countries, said he was not convinced by NATO allies' explanation that the exercises scheduled for May 6 to June 1 in Georgia pose no threat to Russia's security. Full story

NATO, Russia resume formal political talks, differences remain

    BRUSSELS, April 29 (Xinhua) -- NATO and Russia resumed formal political talks on Wednesday with a meeting of the ambassadors of the 28 allies and Russian envoy Dmitry Rogozin after a freeze for eight months.

    NATO said there were positive signs from the Russian side, particularly on the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty. But Russia blasted the alliance for its planned military exercises in Georgia, which Russia briefly invaded in August 2008. Full story