TBILISI, Georgia (AP) - Exasperated Georgians crowded at the capital's airport in disbelief Tuesday after Russia cut all travel links with the former Soviet republic in retaliation for detaining four of its military officers for espionage.Moscow refused international pressure to lift the suspension of road, rail, air, maritime and postal links, saying Tbilisi deeply insulted it by arresting the officers. Georgia released the men Monday and they were permitted to return to Russia. ``One must not feed off Russia and insult it. The Georgian leadership must understand this,'' Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters in Moscow.
| That's a pretty clear warning, and I suspect the next one will be delivered at the tip of a lance. For whatever reason the Russers are really upset. |
The European Union said the Russian retaliation was disproportionate and appealed for calm. Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, whose country holds the EU presidency, said both sides had overreacted and warned against any ``more acute measures.'' ``We stressed that in this situation, even if being provoked, one shouldn't become provoked,'' Tuomioja told Finnish broadcaster YLE from Tbilisi after meeting President Mikhail Saakashvili.
| The Finns know this dance better than just about anyone. |
Without naming any countries, Lavrov suggested the West was encouraging Saakashvili in what he called ``absolutely, consistently anti-Russian actions,'' and criticized the United States for blocking adoption of a Russian-proposed U.N. Security Council statement expressing grave concern at Georgia's actions. ``We have warned ... third countries of the extreme danger of flirting with the Saakashvili regime, the extreme danger of indulging the policies the regime has pursued in relation to Russia, to its own people and to the conflicts that persist on its territory,'' he said.