Putin says troops pullout from Georgia to continue

MOSCOW, Oct 1 (Reuters) President Vladimir Putin ordered the Defence Ministry today to continue the planned withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgia despite last week's arrest of Russian officers there, Russian news agencies reported.

The agencies, quoting Putin's spokesman Alexei Gromov, also said that Putin planned to hold consultations on the situation in Georgia with Russia's leading political parties this week.

Reuters SY DB2218