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Moscow demands Austria release Russian space agency official -1

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Russia is demanding that Austria immediately release the Russian space agency official arrested in the country earlier in the week, and allow him to return home, the Foreign Ministry said Friday.
(Adds background, details in paras 2, 4-12)

MOSCOW, June 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is demanding that Austria immediately release the Russian space agency official arrested in the country earlier in the week, and allow him to return home, the Foreign Ministry said Friday.

A 51-year-old Russian Federal Space Agency official was arrested Monday on suspicion of espionage, and an Austrian Air Force officer was arrested on suspicion of supplying the Russian with secret information about electronic instrumentation devices from a German helicopter construction company. The space agency confirmed that the arrested man was an employee.

"On June 15, Austrian Ambassador to Moscow Martin Vukovich was summoned to Russia's Foreign Ministry, where he was informed that Russia strongly objects to the arrest in Austria of a Russian national on a fabricated charge," the ministry said.

The ministry said Russia assessed Austria's step "as an unfriendly one damaging bilateral relations."

The Russian ministry said the Austrian authorities' actions are out of line with the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, which states officials that are part of delegations at UN events enjoy immunity from personal arrest and detention.

"In this connection, it's evident that this incident does not strengthen Austrian authority as a place where the headquarters of a number of UN international organizations are located," the ministry said.

Russian Federal Space Agency and Foreign Ministry representatives have not named the Russian, but Austrian newspaper Die Presse referred to him as "Russian national Vladimir V."

Austria's prosecutors said Friday that the Russian national would be transferred from a detention center in Salzburg to Vienna.

"At first, his case on suspicion of espionage will be investigated in the Austrian capital, and then, the possibility of extradition to Germany following an appropriate request by the German side will be considered," spokesman Gerhard Jarosch said.

The Russian was arrested in Gmunden (northern Austria). The operation to detain the two men was conducted by Austrian counterintelligence.

Austrian press said the detained Austrian officer passed "top secret" information to the Russian. According to the Kurier, the Austrian suspect, who served as a technician in the Austrian Air Force and had many contacts with civilian firms in Germany, could have supplied the alleged Russian spy with electronic components data.

A diplomat in Vienna said the issue of the Russian's diplomatic immunity remains complicated, as it is only applied in Vienna, and not throughout the country.

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