Russia pulls out embassy staff from Georgia

Moscow, Sept 30: Russia is today withdrawing all its embassy staff from Tbilisi, capital of the former Soviet republic of Georgia, over the ongoing row following the arrest of five Russian military officials on charges of spying earlier this week.

''All Russian embassy officials, except for two diplomats and security guards, will be evacuated from Georgia's capital today,'' the Minister Counselor of the Russian embassy Ivan Volynkin told RIA Novoti news agency.

He said planes carrying them will depart in the second half of the day.

Russia's Foreign Ministry also recalled its ambassador to Georgia for consultations.

Meanwhile, Russia has suspended planned withdrawal of its troops from the South Caucasus, North Caucasus Military District Commander Alexander Baranov said.

''This concerns the security of their passage. Why should we run ahead of the engine that they (Georgia) have placed across our path,'' Mr Baranov said.

As tension continued to rise between the two former Soviet neighbours, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice discussed the situation following the arrest of the Russian servicemen during a telephonic talk yesterday.

The relations between Russia and Georgia have worsened in the last few weeks since NATO agreed to hold talks on closer relations with Tbilisi.

Meanwhile, two Russian planes with families of Russian embassy staff-members and military servicemen on board arrived at a Moscow region airport yesterday.

UNI