Tbilisi Asks Moscow to Detain Blast Suspects
Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 16 Dec.'10 / 16:55

Georgia requested Moscow to help in detention and interrogation of two Georgian and one Russian citizen, which Tbilisi suspects of organizing blasts in Georgia between September and November.

“In particular we are requesting them to help us in detention of two citizens of Georgia, who are currently on the territory of Abkhazia, as well as to detain accused [Yevgeny] Borisov and to interrogate them in presence of the Georgian law enforcement officers,” Nino Kalandadze, the Georgian deputy foreign minister, said on December 16.

Alleged perpetrators behind the blasts, according to the Georgian Interior Ministry, acted under the instructions of Russian military officer, serving in Abkhazia, Yevgeny Borisov.

Kalandadze said that Georgia passed a note to Switzerland requesting to solicit for contacts with the Russian prosecutor’s office. She said that Georgia had also handed over all the materials of the case to Switzerland.

Switzerland represents Russia's diplomatic interests in Georgia and Georgia's interests in Russia after the two countries cut diplomatic ties following the August, 2008 war.

“Despite tense relations between us, Russia’s involvement in the investigation will be extremely important, since the case involves a very grave crime, it has been qualified as a terrorist act; hence it represents a threat not only for Georgia, but also for the entire world,” Kalandadze said.
 
On December 9, two days after Georgia announced about arrest of six suspects behind the blasts, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the explosions were “provocation” and “show”, demonstrating “unprofessional work of the Georgian special services.”

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