Georgian officials call Russian statement “illogical”

Georgia’s Foreign Minister believes the Russian authorities’ announcement about the detention of three Georgian journalists near the South Ossetian so-called border defies logic.

On the contrary, the Georgian Foreign Ministry believed the illegal detention of three journalists on April 15 by Russian occupation troops was "another provocation” and called for the immediate release of the TV3 crew.

Earlier today the Russian Foreign Ministry accused the Georgian side of "provoking and marring” today’s meeting between Russian and Georgian diplomats in Prague.

"The Georgian Government is not interested in escalating the situation, as its policies clearly illustrate. On the contrary, the Government's efforts are aimed at de-escalating relations with the Russian Federation on the basis of complete respect for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The consistent steps it has taken so far are further proof of this,” Georgia’s Foreign Ministry said.

The unlawful detention of the Georgian television crew was the first issue discussed at today’s meeting between Georgia’s Special Representative for Relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze and Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Grigory Karasin.

Karasin repeated Russia’s official position and said this was not the first time a provocative action had been organized on the eve of the Prague meeting.

"I believe there are people in Georgian society who are eager to normalize ties with Moscow but there are those who support the provocations and hostility,” Karasin said with Georgian journalist in Prague.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry have called upon the international community and the European Union Monitoring Mission to consider Russia's illegal acts for what they were and urged them to provide immediate support and efforts to ensure the journalists' immediate release.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry said was keeping the co-chairs of the Geneva international discussions and the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia fully informed of developments.

The three Georgian journalists were taken captive while reporting on the story of Russia’s creeping occupation as it continued to move the border further into Georgian territory.

The trio are currently being held in Tskhinvali.

At this stage, the three are still in detention and it is unclear when they will be released.