MOSCOW, October 2 (RIA Novosti) - A decision to suspend air traffic with Georgia was based on the South Caucasus country's outstanding debt, the head of Russia's aviation service said Monday.
The Transportation Ministry announced earlier Monday it was suspending transportation links with Georgia, as the Kremlin apparently reacted to Tbilisi's decision to arrest four Russian servicemen last week on suspicion of espionage.
Alexander Neradko, head of the Federal Air Transportation Agency, said Georgia's overdue debt stood at more than $3.6 million in addition to the current figure of $176,000.
"This only concerns bilateral air communication and does not affect the interests of air-space users from third countries," he said.
He said the suspension would be in effect until the debt was settled.
Neradko said Russia has already recovered more than 100 mln rubles ($3.7 mln) from debtors within the last week.
