NATO defense ministers held talks Friday with their Russian counterpart, Sergei Ivanov, the Associated Press reported. Moscow condemned last week's NATO decision to increase cooperation with Georgia as a throwback to Cold War days that hurts Russian interests and risks further destabilizing the Caucasus region. Ivanov threatened to send two divisions of Russian troops to the border with Georgia to ensure «Russia's security won't be hurt if Georgia enters NATO.» On Thursday the already strained relations between Russia and Georgia hit a new low when Georgia detained five Russian officers on spying charges, prompting Moscow to recall its ambassador, announce an evacuation of its diplomats and complain to the United Nations. Georgia charged four of the officers on Friday. The fifth officer was released. Diplomats said an indignant Ivanov strongly expressed Russia's concerns at a reception with NATO ministers Thursday night. Some Russian officials have complained the Georgians were emboldened by NATO's decision to offer them the intensified cooperation program, which is considered a step toward possible membership of the alliance. NATO hopes the talks in this Slovene seaside resort will soothe Russian unease over its relations with Georgia _ which has made membership of the Western military pact a foreign policy priority. «This is a golden opportunity for NATO to explain what is its position,» Danish Defense Minister Soeren Gade told reporters. «This should not be considered as a threat toward the Russians.»
