A serious diplomatic incident occurred on Friday, when Russian's internal security agency, the FSB, detained the bodyguards of Israel's Minister of Tourism Stas Misezhnikov during an official visit, and strip-searched them.
Foreign Ministry Spokespam Yigal Palmor said in a statement that Israel has protested strongly against the incident to the Russian government.
- By Lucian
- 29 Sep 2012
- 08:42AM
It is standard procedure all over the world to complete the formality of announcing in advance the armed security detail of a visiting dignitary, with names, serials of the weapons and ammunition quantity. As a former diplomat I have done this many times. To detain the bodyguards at the hotel after leaving the airport - as in entry point to the country - and strip search them is to confirm the crass incompetence of the Russian protocol service in Lavrov's Foreign Ministry. Israel has every right to complain. If, on the other hand, the bodyguards have armed themselves after arrival in Russia with unregistered firearms supplied by the Embassy in Moscow, the situation is quite the opposite. End of story.
thank you
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