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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Russia 'begins Georgia handover' | Russia 'begins Georgia handover' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Russian troops are handing over control of the area around the town of Gori to Georgian forces, officials say. | Russian troops are handing over control of the area around the town of Gori to Georgian forces, officials say. |
| But a Russian general in the area said Moscow's troops would remain nearby for several days, apparently to remove weaponry and unexploded ordnance. | But a Russian general in the area said Moscow's troops would remain nearby for several days, apparently to remove weaponry and unexploded ordnance. |
| Overnight the US secretary of state urged Moscow to meet its own pledge to pull troops out of Georgia altogether. | |
| Georgia launched an attack on the rebel region of South Ossetia from Gori and the town has remained a key flashpoint. | Georgia launched an attack on the rebel region of South Ossetia from Gori and the town has remained a key flashpoint. |
| Russian troops headed towards the town after they moved against Georgian forces in South Ossetia, sparking a rapid retreat by Georgian forces and civilians on Monday. | Russian troops headed towards the town after they moved against Georgian forces in South Ossetia, sparking a rapid retreat by Georgian forces and civilians on Monday. |
| Gori has also come under air attack, with reports of Russian planes bombing the town after Moscow declared an end to its military operation on Tuesday. | Gori has also come under air attack, with reports of Russian planes bombing the town after Moscow declared an end to its military operation on Tuesday. |
| And sightings of a column of Russian armoured vehicles moving close to the town on Wednesday raised concerns that the Kremlin would not make a quick withdrawal from Georgian territory, despite agreeing to a European peace plan. | And sightings of a column of Russian armoured vehicles moving close to the town on Wednesday raised concerns that the Kremlin would not make a quick withdrawal from Georgian territory, despite agreeing to a European peace plan. |
| The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse, just outside Gori, says Moscow insists that the purpose of its continuing presence in Georgia proper is to hand over security to the Georgian police and to remove abandoned weapons and ammunition. |