The chief of staff of the Russian military said on Monday that NATO's decision to launch intensive dialogue with Georgia has pushed the Caucasus nation to aggravate relations with Russia.

"The green light given to Georgia on intensified dialogue with NATO caused the Georgian authorities to commit many mistakes," Gen. Yuri Baluyevsky said after a meeting with the chairman of the NATO's military committee, Gen. Raymond Henault, the Interfax news agency reported.

Baluyevsky said he hoped these issues "do not result in the worst case scenario."

NATO decided last month to start "intensified dialogue" with Georgia, whose leadership has made a goal for the country to join the 26-nation alliance. The Russian Foreign Ministry has criticized the move.

The brief detention of four Russian military officers in Georgia on spying charges late last month triggered strong protest from Moscow and added to an already tense relationship between Russia and Georgia.

Amid the spying row, Russia slapped economic sanctions on the Caucasus nation and deported Georgians accused of staying in Russia illegally.

Source: Xinhua