Moscow protests against alleged Georgian troops firing at Russian delegation

Russia on Wednesday protested against alleged Georgian troops' firing at a Russian delegation inGeorgia's breakaway province of South Ossetia and urged the Georgian authorities to probe into the incident.

"We are calling on the Georgian authorities to immediately launch an investigation and find and punish the executors of the anti-Russian act of provocation," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"It is necessary to stop those who are trying to drag Georgia into new confrontation fraught with far-reaching consequences," the statement noted.

Earlier on Wednesday, a convoy carrying a Russian delegation came under fire, allegedly from Georgian troops in a conflict zonebetween South Ossetia and Georgia.

Andrei Kokoshin, a State Duma (or lower house of parliament) deputy overseeing relations with other former Soviet republics, told Russian media that the delegation led by him had been cut offby Georgian forces following the shooting at them.

"The incident was not limited only to the firing. We are currently blockaded by Georgian policemen in a Georgian-populatedvillage," Kokoshin was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying.

He said that after the arrival of peacekeeping troops stationedin the conflict zone, the convoy was released.

The State Duma's press service said that no one was hurt in theshooting.

The incident came amid increased tension in recent weeks between the central Georgian government and South Ossetia, which has had de facto independence since it defeated Georgian forces in1992.

South Ossetia has repeatedly refused to bow to the Georgian central authority and sought to become part of Russia.

A joint peacekeeping contingent, composed of Russian, Georgian and South Ossetian troops, has been patrolling the Georgian-Ossetian conflict area since 1992.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, who took office in January this year, has vowed to reunify the country by bringing three breakaway regions -- Adzharia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, back under control.

Adzharia was taken under the control of the Georgian governmentafter its leader was forced to resign and flee to Moscow in May.

Tbilisi accuses Russia of aiding South Ossetian separatists, but Russia says it respects Georgia's territorial integrity and does not support the attempt of South Ossetia, whose independence has not been internationally recognized.

Source: Xinhua