MOSCOW, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Russia's air traffic chief accused Georgian air controllers on Thursday of threatening the safety of Russian civil aircraft by suddenly diverting some planes trying to enter Georgian air space. "The air space of Georgia represents a particular danger to civil aviation flights," Alexander Neradko, the head of Russia's Federal Air Navigation Service (Rosnavigatsisya), said in a statement released by his agency. He said Georgian air controllers had forced several Russian and Belarussian flights to change their routes without prior notification just as they were about to enter Georgian air space. "Rosnavigatsisya repeats its strong recommendation that Russian airlines should not use Georgian airspace for flights, but use alternative routes," Neradko said. Direct air links between Russia and Georgia were suspended at the start of the conflict between the two countries in South Ossetia earlier this month. Georgian air traffic officials were not immediately available for comment. (Reporting by Conor Sweeney; Editing by Caroline Drees)
People attend a funeral of soldiers killed in the South Ossetia conflict at a cemetery in Tbilisi August 28, 2008. Georgians flocked to church on Thursday to pray for their country, ...
