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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Georgia to free Russian 'spies' | Georgia to free Russian 'spies' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Georgia has said it will hand over four Russian military officers charged with spying to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. | Georgia has said it will hand over four Russian military officers charged with spying to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. |
| A spokesman for Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said the transfer "ceremony" would take place on Monday. | A spokesman for Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said the transfer "ceremony" would take place on Monday. |
| Last week's arrest of the four officers triggered a furious political row between Moscow and Tbilisi. | Last week's arrest of the four officers triggered a furious political row between Moscow and Tbilisi. |
| Shortly after Georgia's announcement, Russia said it was suspending transport and postal links with the state. | Shortly after Georgia's announcement, Russia said it was suspending transport and postal links with the state. |
| The BBC's Emma Simpson in Moscow says it is a dramatic move - but it is not clear if it was taken before news of the officers' handover. | |
| Moscow had already recalled its ambassador and evacuated some of its staff in Georgia in what is being described as Russia's worst crisis in relations with its neighbour in more than a decade. | |
| European mediators | European mediators |
| Russia had exerted strong pressure on Georgia to release the men, but Georgia had refused to relent until now, the BBC's Matthew Collin reports from Georgia. | |
| President Saakashvili's spokesman said: "Today, after the briefing of the OSCE chairman and the Georgian president... the four Russian military officers who were detained will be transferred to OSCE representatives." | President Saakashvili's spokesman said: "Today, after the briefing of the OSCE chairman and the Georgian president... the four Russian military officers who were detained will be transferred to OSCE representatives." |
| The OSCE had an interest in decreasing the tensions over this particular case Alexander NietzscheOSCE spokesman Row worries press | The OSCE had an interest in decreasing the tensions over this particular case Alexander NietzscheOSCE spokesman Row worries press |
| He was referring to talks scheduled between Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht, who currently holds the OSCE chair, and Mr Saakashvili in Tbilisi. | He was referring to talks scheduled between Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht, who currently holds the OSCE chair, and Mr Saakashvili in Tbilisi. |
| The OSCE said it would return the officers to Russian hands if the transfer took place. | The OSCE said it would return the officers to Russian hands if the transfer took place. |
| "As a regional security organisation the OSCE had an interest in decreasing the tensions over this particular case," spokesman Alexander Nietzsche told the BBC. | "As a regional security organisation the OSCE had an interest in decreasing the tensions over this particular case," spokesman Alexander Nietzsche told the BBC. |
| "We used our good offices here by diplomatic means to negotiate between the two sides and the result is what you are probably going to be seeing this afternoon." | "We used our good offices here by diplomatic means to negotiate between the two sides and the result is what you are probably going to be seeing this afternoon." |
| Tense relations | Tense relations |
| Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Georgia of "state terrorism" over the arrests, and of trying to provoke Moscow. | Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Georgia of "state terrorism" over the arrests, and of trying to provoke Moscow. |
| Mr Saakashvili has said Russia wants to destabilise his country because of its pro-Western stance. | Mr Saakashvili has said Russia wants to destabilise his country because of its pro-Western stance. |
| Speaking to the BBC in the city of Batumi, he said any country would want to be free of spies who were trying to undermine it. | Speaking to the BBC in the city of Batumi, he said any country would want to be free of spies who were trying to undermine it. |
| But he dismissed the possibility of the row descending into armed conflict. | But he dismissed the possibility of the row descending into armed conflict. |
| "I think it would be extremely irrational... and I think it's counter-productive to anybody," he said. | "I think it would be extremely irrational... and I think it's counter-productive to anybody," he said. |
| Relations between Moscow and Tbilisi have deteriorated in recent weeks since Georgia and the Western military alliance Nato agreed to hold talks on closer relations, correspondents say. | Relations between Moscow and Tbilisi have deteriorated in recent weeks since Georgia and the Western military alliance Nato agreed to hold talks on closer relations, correspondents say. |
| Georgia has also accused Russia of actively trying to undermine its government by backing separatists in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. | Georgia has also accused Russia of actively trying to undermine its government by backing separatists in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. |
| Relations between the two nations had already become increasingly tense since Mr Saakashvili was elected president of Georgia in 2004, pledging to take the Caucasian nation out of Russia's orbit and join Nato and the European Union. | Relations between the two nations had already become increasingly tense since Mr Saakashvili was elected president of Georgia in 2004, pledging to take the Caucasian nation out of Russia's orbit and join Nato and the European Union. |