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| Georgia 'calls Ossetia ceasefire' | Georgia 'calls Ossetia ceasefire' |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Georgia has ordered its forces to cease fire, and offered to start talks with Russia over an end to hostilities in South Ossetia, Georgian officials say. | Georgia has ordered its forces to cease fire, and offered to start talks with Russia over an end to hostilities in South Ossetia, Georgian officials say. |
| But Russia said exchanges of fire had not stopped, Interfax news agency said, and Russian bombing raids continued. | |
| Earlier Georgia said its troops had pulled out of the breakaway region and that Russian forces were in control of its capital, Tskhinvali. | Earlier Georgia said its troops had pulled out of the breakaway region and that Russian forces were in control of its capital, Tskhinvali. |
| Thousands of civilians have fled - it is not clear how many have been killed. | |
| Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili told the BBC he saw Russian jets flying over columns of refugees in cars and dropping bombs nearby. | |
| He said his government had been trying "all day" to contact Russia to discuss a ceasefire. | |
| Peace mission | |
| The United Nations Security Council began meeting for a fourth day on Sunday to discuss the conflict. It has so far failed to agree on the wording of a statement calling for a ceasefire. | |
| See a map of the region | |
| French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner was en route to Georgia on Sunday on a peace mission, along with Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb. | |
| Clashes in South Ossetia were reported to be less intense on Sunday, as Russian forces took control and Georgian troops drew back. | Clashes in South Ossetia were reported to be less intense on Sunday, as Russian forces took control and Georgian troops drew back. |
| Local residents fleeing the area on Sunday morning told the BBC there was continued fighting on the outskirts of Tskhinvali, although the city itself was relatively quiet. | Local residents fleeing the area on Sunday morning told the BBC there was continued fighting on the outskirts of Tskhinvali, although the city itself was relatively quiet. |
| ARMED FORCES COMPARED GEORGIA Total personnel: 26,900Main battle tanks (T-72): 82Armoured personnel carriers: 139Combat aircraft (Su-25): SevenHeavy artillery pieces (including Grad rocket launchers): 95 RUSSIA Total personnel: 641,000Main battle tanks (various): 6,717Armoured personnel carriers: 6,388Combat aircraft (various): 1,206Heavy artillery pieces (various): 7,550Source: Jane's Sentinel Country Risk Assessments | |
| But Russian jets were still carrying out bombing raids. Jets bombarded a military airfield close to the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, late on Sunday, the AFP news agency reported. | |
| A Georgian official said Russian planes had also bombed the western town of Zugdidi and Georgian-controlled territory inside Abkhazia. The claims could not be independently verified. | A Georgian official said Russian planes had also bombed the western town of Zugdidi and Georgian-controlled territory inside Abkhazia. The claims could not be independently verified. |
| On Sunday evening the Georgian foreign ministry said in a statement that Georgia "today stopped firing in the South Ossetian conflict zone and is ready to begin talks with Russia on a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities". | On Sunday evening the Georgian foreign ministry said in a statement that Georgia "today stopped firing in the South Ossetian conflict zone and is ready to begin talks with Russia on a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities". |
| It said a note had been passed to the Russian embassy in Georgia to that effect. | It said a note had been passed to the Russian embassy in Georgia to that effect. |
| But a Russian foreign ministry official was quoted by Interfax saying "our information does not confirm the Georgian statement". | |
| "There are indications that exchanges of fire are continuing and the Georgian forces have not been fully withdrawn from the conflict zone," he said. | |
| The US has described Russia's actions as "dangerous and disproportionate". | |
| US Deputy National Security Adviser James Jeffrey said that if the Russian escalation continued, it would have a "significant" long-term impact on relations between the Moscow and Washington. | |
| "We're alarmed by this situation," he told reporters in Beijing. | |
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