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TALLINN, Jul 18, BNS - Austria's decision to release former KGB officer Mikhail Golovatov whom Lithuania holds responsible for bloody events at the Vilnius television tower in January 1991 was a "bad surprise," Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said.

"It was a bad surprise that he was released within less than 24 hours. Hopefully the coming days will bring clarity into the circumstances under which he was set free so quickly. It is important that the international arrest warrant obtained by Lithuania remain in force and this person be captured for carrying out investigation proceedings. When there is a strong and justified suspicion that this person committed in 1991 in Vilnius crimes as a result of which 14 people were killed he has to be brought to justice," Paet told BNS.

The minister said Austria should state very clearly under which circumstances Golovatov who had been detained in Vienna was released. "The officials who made this decision should explain why precisely such a decision was made. So far I haven't heard any explanation from Austrian officials," he said.

Paet said both Lithuania and Austria act in the common European Union space and it were normal if such issues could be ironed out between themselves.

"It is important for such things not to recur and for cooperation not to suffer in the longer term. One has to rely on common sense. Further steps depend on Austrian officials' reasons," he said.

Golovatov, the commander of the elite Alfa squad that stormed the Vilnius TV tower in January 1991, was detained by the Austrian authorities last Thursday under a European arrest warrant but set free by an Austrian court's decision after less than 24 hours.

Lithuania said on Monday it recalled its ambassador to Austria for consultations in protest against Vienna's decision to release Golovatov.