Russian MP urges vigorous action against Georgia over scandal

Six men were arrested Wednesday by Georgian security services on suspicion of spying. Four Russian officers were officially charged Friday morning and one serviceman was released during the night. The Georgian Interior Ministry said Friday the sixth man was a Georgian rather than Russian as originally thought.

Yury Volkov, a deputy speaker of the lower house of the Russian parliament, said the measures against Georgia could comprise diplomatic action and economic sanctions, including freezing bank accounts, and suspending or annulling business contracts.

"The current Georgian leadership has constantly displayed an intolerable proneness to conflict in international affairs bordering on paranoia," said Volkov, who is a member of Kremlin-backed majority-party United Russia.

He said Georgia's incumbent president, Mikheil Saakashvili, was a temperamental politician, whose irrational actions could only be stopped by a vigorous response from Russia with support from international organizations.

The MP reminded journalists that the West-leaning leader had once allegedly received a text message on his mobile phone near the Russia border that said "Welcome to Russia" and had immediately denounced it as an attempt to annex his country.

"The whole history of relations between states shows that global powers, as well as the global community, never hesitated to apply pressure, including the threat of force, on so-called rogue-states," Volkov said.

The deputy speaker added that Russia's steps would be well-balanced, taking account for traditionally close ties between the two countries.

Russia has vehemently protested Georgia's actions and demanded the immediate release of its officers.

/RIA Novosti/