Russian spat with Georgia intensifies
Afp, Tbilisi
Russia was evacuating its embassy in Georgia on Saturday and had halted troop withdrawals from the country amid a deepening diplomatic dustup since the arrest by Tbilisi of four Russian officers on spying charges. The evacuation of all but a skeleton staff from the embassy was due to be completed on Saturday, an embassy source told AFP earlier. It had already evacuated some 80 embassy staff and family members on Friday. "Two diplomats and security staff will stay at the embassy," the source said by telephone. "The aircraft is due to leave at 3:00 pm Moscow time (1100 GMT)." The Russian army, meanwhile, has suspended the withdrawal of its troops from Georgia amid the growing crisis, Interfax quoted the head of the Russian army in the north Caucasus as saying on Saturday.
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