Georgia to Hand Russians to OSCE to Defuse Crisis

[muriel_volestrangler]

Georgia on Monday said it would hand over four Russian army officers arrested on spying charges to European mediators in a decision that will help defuse a crisis with Russia.
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The move came after a build-up of tension, following the arrest of the Russian officers last Wednesday, leading to a war of words between Moscow and Tbilisi, including a sharp verbal attack by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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Putin, in unusually harsh remarks, accused Georgia of "state terrorism with hostage-taking" by arresting the Russian army officers last week and charging them with spying.

The arrests provoked the most serious crisis between pro-Western Georgia and its giant former Soviet master in years. Russia has withdrawn its ambassador and dozens of officials from Tbilisi and stopped issuing visas to Georgians.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/02/AR2006100200099.html

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. But also: Russia cuts transport links with Georgia

Georgia on Monday said it would hand over four Russian army officers arrested on spying charges to European mediators, in a move aimed at defusing a crisis with Russia.

But a sudden order by Russia cutting transport links with Georgia raised a question over whether the crisis -- worst in years between the two countries -- was over.

Russian news agencies quoted sources at the transport and communications ministries as saying air, rail, road and sea links would be cut to Georgia, as well as postal services. A transport ministry spokeswoman refused to comment.

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?storyid=2006-10-02T113345Z_01_L02918940_RTRUKOC_0_UK-GEORGIA-RUSSIA.xml&type=worldNews&WTmodLoc=World-C3-More-6