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Russia says Georgia blocked prisoner swap deal

RIA Novosti

18/08/2008 15:53 MOSCOW, August 18 (RIA Novosti) - A senior Russian military official said on Monday that Georgia has pulled out of a prisoner swap agreement under which Moscow was to hand over 11 Georgians in exchange for five Russians.

Lt. Col. Andrei Bobrun, an aide to the commander of the North Caucasus Military District, said: "A prisoner exchange was scheduled for today at noon, but Georgian negotiators put forward requests of a political and military nature. They have quit the negotiating process."

"Our list included 11 [Georgian] people, while the Georgian list contained the names of five people," he said.

Speaking at a RIA Novosti news conference, Col. Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn, deputy chief of the Russian General Staff, also blamed Georgia for the failed exchange, but gave different numbers of captives. "We had planned an exchange of 15 Georgian for 12 Russian troops," he said.

Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili has denied that any such agreement existed.

Bobrun said talks on a prisoner swap will continue as soon as Russia reestablishes contact with the Georgian negotiators.

Georgia launched a major offensive to seize control of South Ossetia on August 8, prompting Russia to send several hundred tanks and thousands of troops into the region.

Russia says at least 1,600 civilians were killed in the Georgian attack on Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia.

Around 12,000 refugees are now being housed at camp across the border in the Russian republic of North Ossetia. Up to half of South Ossetia's population of around 70,000 is believed to have fled the fighting.