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| Ceasefire bid amid Georgia crisis | Ceasefire bid amid Georgia crisis |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Russia and Georgia have accused each other of launching new attacks, as diplomats press for a ceasefire in the conflict over South Ossetia. | Russia and Georgia have accused each other of launching new attacks, as diplomats press for a ceasefire in the conflict over South Ossetia. |
| Georgia said dozens of Russian bombers attacked targets inside its territory, including around Tbilisi and Gori. | Georgia said dozens of Russian bombers attacked targets inside its territory, including around Tbilisi and Gori. |
| Russia said Georgian attacks on the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali killed three of its troops. | Russia said Georgian attacks on the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali killed three of its troops. |
| Georgia's president backed a draft EU ceasefire proposal for a ceasefire, but Moscow reportedly rejected the plan. | Georgia's president backed a draft EU ceasefire proposal for a ceasefire, but Moscow reportedly rejected the plan. |
| See a map of the region | See a map of the region |
| French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, heading a EU delegation to the Georgian capital, told the BBC that President Mikhail Saakashvili signed a document outlining proposals for a ceasefire, controlled withdrawals of troops on both sides and eventual political talks. | |
| The delegation would now go to Moscow, Mr Kouchner said, to convince President Dmitry Medvedev to back the EU plan. | |
| Bernard Kouchner travelled to Gori to see the effects of the conflict | |
| Reports from the Russian capital suggested the Kremlin had quickly rejected the draft plan, saying Georgia was continuing to use military force. | |
| Mr Medvedev later proposed that a delegation from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which has been mediating the dispute, should be sent to South Ossetia. | |
| He had earlier accused Georgia of "genocide" in the region, but said Russian troops were now in control of Tskhinvali and Moscow's military push was "largely complete". | |
| Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin also spoke out, criticising the US for transporting Georgian troops from Iraq to redeploy to the conflict at home. | |
| OSCE head Alexander Stubb, accompanying Mr Kouchner, said he could not predict when the conflict would end, saying only that he was "optimistic" a cessation of violence could begin "in the next few days". | |
| Targets hit | Targets hit |
| Fighting over South Ossetia erupted late last week when Georgia launched an overnight assault on the territory, which has had de facto independence since the end of a war in 1992. | Fighting over South Ossetia erupted late last week when Georgia launched an overnight assault on the territory, which has had de facto independence since the end of a war in 1992. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYIt will be solved when both sides decide to stop shooting at one another.John, IpswichSend us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYIt will be solved when both sides decide to stop shooting at one another.John, IpswichSend us your comments |
| Russia, which supports the breakaway province, hit back, bombing targets throughout Georgia. | Russia, which supports the breakaway province, hit back, bombing targets throughout Georgia. |
| The latest reports of violence came despite Georgia saying on Sunday that it would observe a ceasefire. Moscow has insisted Georgian forces withdraw fully from South Ossetia before it halts operations. | The latest reports of violence came despite Georgia saying on Sunday that it would observe a ceasefire. Moscow has insisted Georgian forces withdraw fully from South Ossetia before it halts operations. |
| From Tbilisi, Georgia said up to 50 Russian fighter jets attacked targets inside Georgia overnight, with targets including a missile base and a radar station. | From Tbilisi, Georgia said up to 50 Russian fighter jets attacked targets inside Georgia overnight, with targets including a missile base and a radar station. |
| Georgia said the town of Gori, close to the South Ossetian border and used as a jumping-off point for Georgia's push into South Ossetia, was also attacked during the night. | |
| Elsewhere in Georgia, tensions were rising in Abkhazia, another region within Georgia with secessionist ambitions. | |
| ABKHAZIA Broke away from Georgia in 1992-1993 warDe-facto independence not recognised internationally2,000 Russian troops there sent as peacekeepersGeorgia seized strategic Kodori Gorge in Abkhazia in 2006Abkhazia rejected Georgian offer of autonomy within federal state Q&A: Violence in South OssetiaEarly lessons from South OssetiaProfile: Abkhazia | |
| Reports said a Russian general issued an ultimatum to Georgian forces to pull out of Abkhazia's Kodori Gorge or Russia would send in its troops. Earlier, reports in Moscow said 9,000 Russian troops were being deployed to Abkhazia. | Reports said a Russian general issued an ultimatum to Georgian forces to pull out of Abkhazia's Kodori Gorge or Russia would send in its troops. Earlier, reports in Moscow said 9,000 Russian troops were being deployed to Abkhazia. |
| On Sunday, separatist leaders in Abkhazia announced a full mobilisation in order to drive Georgian troops from part of the region, and gave them a deadline to leave. | On Sunday, separatist leaders in Abkhazia announced a full mobilisation in order to drive Georgian troops from part of the region, and gave them a deadline to leave. |
| Georgia has accused Russia of landing 4,000 more troops in Abkhazia via the Black Sea. The separatists said Georgia had deployed a similar number of soldiers south of the Abkhaz border. | Georgia has accused Russia of landing 4,000 more troops in Abkhazia via the Black Sea. The separatists said Georgia had deployed a similar number of soldiers south of the Abkhaz border. |
| 'Very firm' | 'Very firm' |
| 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): 7,550 Source: Jane's Sentinel Country Risk Assessments Challenging situation for MoscowCrisis day-by-dayIn quotes: Strife in Georgia | |
| Overnight, US President George W Bush was strongly critical of Russia's military strikes against Georgia. | |
| Speaking in Beijing, US President Bush told NBC TV that he had spoken frankly to Mr Putin when the pair met at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games last week. | Speaking in Beijing, US President Bush told NBC TV that he had spoken frankly to Mr Putin when the pair met at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games last week. |
| "I said this violence is unacceptable," Mr Bush said, adding: "I was very firm with Vladimir Putin. Hopefully this will get resolved peacefully." | "I said this violence is unacceptable," Mr Bush said, adding: "I was very firm with Vladimir Putin. Hopefully this will get resolved peacefully." |
| In a telephone call to President Saakashvili, US Vice-President Dick Cheney said Russian aggression "must not go unanswered". | |
| But White House officials refused to speculate on what the US might do if the Russian military action continued. | |
| The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has called on the parties to the conflict to grant safe passage to civilians trying to escape the war zone - estimated at up to 20,000 within Georgia, with some 30,000 fleeing into the Russian province of North Ossetia. | The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has called on the parties to the conflict to grant safe passage to civilians trying to escape the war zone - estimated at up to 20,000 within Georgia, with some 30,000 fleeing into the Russian province of North Ossetia. |
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| Are you in the areas affected by the violence? If you have witnessed anything you want to share with the BBC, please do so using the form below: | Are you in the areas affected by the violence? If you have witnessed anything you want to share with the BBC, please do so using the form below: |
| You can send pictures and video to: | You can send pictures and video to: |
| yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here.Click here to see terms and conditions. | yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here.Click here to see terms and conditions. |
| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |
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