Diplomatic incident mires minister's visit to Russia

Tourism Minister Misezhnikov's security guards forced to strip during visit to conference in Nizhny Novgorod; Foreign Ministry files formal complaint with Moscow

Attila Somfalvi|Published: 09.28.12 , 22:21

The Foreign Ministry filed a formal complaint with Moscow Friday over a diplomatic incident that took place during Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov's visit to Russia.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Misezhnikov arrived in the city of Nizhny Novgorod as a guest of a top economic forum.

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When the minister and his security detail arrived at the hotel hosting the conference, FSB officials stopped then, and demanded that the Israeli security personnel prove that they were not carrying firearms.

The Foreign Ministry said that Misezhnikov tried to explain to the Russian security officials that the guards were part of an Israeli ministerial mission and as such they were unarmed, but to no avail.

The Israeli security personnel were taken to a side room and forces to strip as part of their inspection.

The Israeli Embassy in Moscow was promptly instructed to file a formal complaint with Russian authorities; while the Foreign Ministry did the same vis-à-vis the Russian ambassador to Israel.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman is expected to meet with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in New York later on Friday, and is expected to protest the incident as well.