Russia blasts the West over two issues

The Russian Foreign Ministry called the expulsions "provocative," and issued a statement warning NATO to "think about the consequences of what happened. We will certainly make our own conclusions from this provocation."

Dmitry Rogozin, Russia’s permanent envoy to NATO, said the charges of espionage were false, calling them "unprecedented crude steps aimed to unbalance Russia" and derail newly resumed talks between Russia and the alliance. The expulsions came just as the NATO-Russia Council met for the first time since Moscow’s war last summer with Georgia.

NATO suspended political contact after Russian troops crossed into Georgia last summer — provoked, Moscow said, by a Georgian assault on the breakaway republic of South Ossetia. Wednesday was the first day of renewed political discussion between the alliance and Moscow. But the talks came amid increased tension over NATO plans to begin military exercises next week in Georgia.

The exercises were scheduled long before last year’s war, but officials in Moscow argue that they constitute a potentially destabilizing threat and should be abandoned.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday called the exercises "an open provocation," and warned the West that it would be responsible for any ensuing troubles.

"It is common knowledge that no exercises shall be held where there was war recently," Medvedev said. "All responsibility for possible negative consequences will lie with the people undertaking the relevant steps."

Against the background of rippling tensions, Russia signed a treaty accepting responsibility for military control of the so-called borders dividing Georgia’s rebel republics from the rest of the small Caucasian nation.

Last summer’s war revolved around the fate of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another republic that has broken with Georgia. Moscow has since recognized the two areas as newly formed, independent countries.

Only Nicaragua and the Islamic militant faction Hamas joined Russia in recognizing the rebel territories, but an undeterred Moscow continues to treat the two republics as independent, albeit client, states.

The presidents of the two republics were in Moscow on Thursday to sign the agreement with Medvedev. The treaty gives Russia responsibility for guarding the cease-fire line until the two rebel territories create their own border guard.

The three leaders also signed cooperation agreements linking the security services of the breakaway republics with the Russian FSB, the powerful intelligence service that is the modern-day successor to the KGB.

The deals could further destabilize the already fragile cease-fire in the Caucasus, some Russian analysts warned.

Skirmishes have already broken out between Georgian and rebel forces.

"Now if there are any incidents on the cease-fire lines, it will be a direct confrontation between Russia and Georgia," Russian military analyst Pavel Felgengauer said.

"Which, of course, would be a good pretext for resuming the war."

[email protected]