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Georgiaâ€™s Saakashvili signs ceasefire agreement with Russia

16 August 2008 07:47 (UTC +04:00)

The agreement bans the use of force and any military action, and envisages free access to humanitarian aid. Under the deal, Georgian armed forces should return to their bases, and Russian troops should pull back to their pre-combat positions.
Saakashvili said his next step would be to replace Russian peacekeepers in the conflict zone with an international contingent.
Russia has no objections to the deployment of an international peacekeeping force in the Caucasus, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said adding however, that Abkhazia and South Ossetia trusted only Russian troops.
The six-point arrangement had been negotiated by the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, but a dispute soon followed over one of its provisions, which the Russians had interpreted as allowing them to maintain a military presence on Georgian territory outside the two disputed enclaves, South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Ms. Rice brought with her a letter from Mr. Sarkozy clarifying that this provision would not apply to populated areas or the main east-west highway that is the countryâ€™s lifeline, said Giga Bokeria, Georgiaâ€™s deputy foreign minister. That would mean, Ms. Rice argued, that the Russians would have to withdraw from Gori, a strategically important city 40 miles west of Tbilisi.
â€œWith the signing of this accord, all Russian troops, and any paramilitary and irregular troops that entered with them, must leave immediately,â€ she said at the news conference.
American officials said Friday that Mr. Sarkozy had signed the original six-point agreement and attached the letter. Next, French diplomats will present the six-point plan with the signatures of Mr. Saakashvili and Mr. Sarkozy to the Kremlin.
The Associated Press quoted an anonymous American official as saying that Russia had assured Ms. Rice that it would sign the document.