TBILISI, August 15 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Embassy in Georgia said the seizure by Georgian police of the cargo of Russian peacekeeping forces in the Georgian-Abkhazian and Georgian-Ossetian conflict zones was a provocation.
"On August 12, Georgian officers detained Collective and Joint Peacekeeping Forces vehicles, which were transporting goods for peacekeeping personnel. This was done despite the vehicles' peacekeeping insignia, and all necessary documents," the embassy said Monday.
A spokesman for the diplomatic mission called these actions "another provocation aimed against the peacekeepers".
"The Georgian Interior Ministry have broken agreements on the Georgian-Abkhazian and Georgian-Ossetian conflicts. The Collective Peacekeeping Forces enjoy the status, privileges, and immunities granted to UN personnel during peacekeeping operations," the embassy stated.
The Russian embassy in Georgia is concerned about Georgia's actions, and is demanding the immediate return of the detained goods and an official apology, and that measures be taken to prevent similar acts in future.
Georgian Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili said that on August 12 the ministry confiscated 13,000 packs of smuggled cigarettes from Russian peacekeepers on the Inguri river. Merabishvili added that the peacekeepers offered resistance to the police.
