Georgia releases officers in bid to defuse worst bilateral crisis in years

TBILISI, Georgia -- Georgia on Monday released four Russian officers whose arrest on spying charges prompted Moscow to announce sweeping travel and communications sanctions in the worst bilateral crisis in years. Hoping to defuse tensions, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said he had decided to hand over the Russians to visiting Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht, the current chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, even though Georgia has a strong case against them.