Russia to evacuate its diplomats, families from Georgia

Moscow, Sep 29 (UNI) Russia today decided to partially evacuate its diplomats from Tbilisi, the capital of former Soviet republic of Georgia, in the wake of rising tension over the arrest of four Russian army officers on spying charges.

The spokesman for the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry Viktor Beltsov told Interfax news agency that over 80 staff-members of Russian offices in Georgia and their family members will be flown from Tbilisi to Moscow today.

''Plans are to evacuate over 80 staff-members and their families, 43 of them children, from Tbilisi to Moscow on two special flights by the Ministry,'' Mr Beltsov said.

Moscow has already recalled its ambassador from Tbilisi.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov said he was sure that a succession of Georgian provocations - the arrest of Russian army officers in Tbilisi and the beating of two Russian peacekeepers in South Ossetia yesterday-will continue.

''The chain of these events is endless. It was not the first and the last provocation,'' Mr Ivanov said while commenting on the row between the two countries.

State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Konstantin Kosachyov said Georgian authorities were trying to provoke a conflict with Russia.

''The strategy of the Georgian authorities is obvious. It somewhat resembles attempts that were once made by the Baltic states to provoke a conflict with Russia and to go under NATO's security umbrella on the wave of this conflict as soon as possible,'' Mr Kosachyov said while reacting to the latest develoments.

''If Russia is interested in Georgia not changing its status and not becoming a NATO member, we should not create any illusions of any threat facing Georgia. This is the kind of provocation the Georgian side is currently staging. But we have to see it and should not yield to it,'' he added.

Asked whether force could be used against Georgia, he said, ''Various options can never be ruled out. But this is not the policy Russia is pursuing.'' UNI XC AK BD1941