TBILISI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Georgia Thursday announced to expel one of the 10 Russian diplomats serving at the Interests Section at the Embassy of Switzerland in Tbilisi in a show of solidarity with Britain over the recent ex-spy poisoning row.
"The use of chemical weapons in Salisbury represents serious challenge to common security," Georgia's Foreign Ministry said in a brief statement, stressing that the country stood in solidarity with Britain.
"The foreign ministry declares a member of the staff of the Russian Federation Interests Section at the Embassy of Switzerland in Tbilisi as a not acceptable person and requests to leave Georgia within seven days," the statement said.
Georgia and Russia have no formal diplomatic ties since the Russia-Georgia 2008 war. Switzerland, as the third country, mediated diplomatic issues between the two countries by establishing the Russian Federation Interests Section in Tbilisi and the Georgian Interests Section in Moscow in March of 2009.
Former Russian double agent Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, were found unconscious on a bench outside a shopping center in Britain's southwestern city of Salisbury on March 4.
Britain claimed the pair were exposed to a nerve agent and held Russia responsible.
The Russian government has denied any role in the incident.
Following the incident, Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats, with Moscow expelling an equal number of British diplomats in response.
