Russia, Georgia fail to resume air link cut by row

TBILISI, Aug 2 (Reuters) Georgia and Russia have not resumed passenger flights cut last autumn between Tbilisi and Moscow, a Russian diplomat said today, despite previous assurances that the problem was just a temporary hitch.

Russia cut air, sea and postal links with its small Caucasus neighbour last October amid a spying row which brought Moscow's ties with pro-Western Tbilisi to an all-time low. Russia had earlier banned imports of Georgian wine and mineral water.

Russian and Georgian officials said in late June they had agreed to resume charter flights in July and possibly in August.

But in July Russia denied clearance to a jet to fly the first regular passenger service, calling it a temporary move.

''We proposed to the Georgian side that the flights be made by Russian companies, Aeroflot in particular,'' Ivan Volynkin, councillor of Russia's embassy in Tbilisi, told reporters.

''For its part, the Georgian side raised the question of Georgian companies serving the route. The two sides failed to come to an agreement.'' He said the talk was only about making flights during the summer season and there had been no discussion about resuming regular flights all year round.

In April, Russia allowed three charter flights between Tbilisi and Moscow over the Easter holiday.

Georgia says its former imperial master Russia is punishing it for its aspirations to join NATO and the European Union.

Russia, providing moral and financial support for Georgia's rebel Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions, says that Tbilisi pursues anti-Russian policies and is not a good neighbour.

REUTERS KK RAI2325