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| Russia in 'spy' row with Georgia | Russia in 'spy' row with Georgia |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Russia has demanded the immediate release of four of its army officers arrested in Georgia on spying charges. | Russia has demanded the immediate release of four of its army officers arrested in Georgia on spying charges. |
| The Russian foreign ministry summoned the Georgian ambassador to Moscow to make the demand. | The Russian foreign ministry summoned the Georgian ambassador to Moscow to make the demand. |
| Georgian Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili said the four were arrested along with 10 Georgians, for planning "a major provocation". | Georgian Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili said the four were arrested along with 10 Georgians, for planning "a major provocation". |
| Georgian forces also surrounded the Russian army HQ in Tbilisi, demanding the handover of another officer. | Georgian forces also surrounded the Russian army HQ in Tbilisi, demanding the handover of another officer. |
| Mr Merabishvili said the detained Russians and Georgian citizens had been collecting information on Tbilisi's relations with Nato, as well on its sea port and railway infrastructure, opposition parties and army. | |
| "Today we neutralised a very serious and dangerous group," he said. | |
| Russia's chief of army staff Yuri Baluyevsky, quoted by Russian news agencies, said the move was "sheer lawlessness". | |
| Russia's foreign ministry described it as "an outrageous escapade proving the general anti-Russian policy of Georgia's leadership". | |
| The arrests coincided with the first official visit by Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili to a disputed area on the border between Georgia and the breakaway region of Abkhazia. | The arrests coincided with the first official visit by Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili to a disputed area on the border between Georgia and the breakaway region of Abkhazia. |
| Russia said his visit was dangerous and would raise tensions between Russia and Georgia. | Russia said his visit was dangerous and would raise tensions between Russia and Georgia. |