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| Russia 'will abide by ceasefire' | Russia 'will abide by ceasefire' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| US officials say Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has pledged that Moscow will "faithfully" implement a ceasefire agreement signed by Georgia. | US officials say Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has pledged that Moscow will "faithfully" implement a ceasefire agreement signed by Georgia. |
| They say he gave the assurance after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice phoned him from her plane following a visit to Georgia's capital, Tbilisi. | They say he gave the assurance after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice phoned him from her plane following a visit to Georgia's capital, Tbilisi. |
| Ms Rice has demanded Russia withdraw at once but the Russian military is still operating deep in Georgia, reports say. | Ms Rice has demanded Russia withdraw at once but the Russian military is still operating deep in Georgia, reports say. |
| The US president has meanwhile kept up the pressure in a radio address. | |
| In his latest comments on the crisis, President George W Bush said Russia's actions in Georgia were completely unacceptable to the free nations of the world. | In his latest comments on the crisis, President George W Bush said Russia's actions in Georgia were completely unacceptable to the free nations of the world. |
| Checkpoint | Checkpoint |
| On the ground in Georgia, a convoy of about 17 armoured Russian personnel carriers and 200 troops advanced to a village 45km (30 miles) from Tbilisi on Friday, the Reuters news agency said. | On the ground in Georgia, a convoy of about 17 armoured Russian personnel carriers and 200 troops advanced to a village 45km (30 miles) from Tbilisi on Friday, the Reuters news agency said. |
| See map of the region | See map of the region |
| The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse says there are unconfirmed reports the Russians have set up a checkpoint not far from Tbilisi. | The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse says there are unconfirmed reports the Russians have set up a checkpoint not far from Tbilisi. |
| Georgian officials also said Russian forces remained in the Georgian Black Sea port of Poti, the site of a major oil shipment facility. | Georgian officials also said Russian forces remained in the Georgian Black Sea port of Poti, the site of a major oil shipment facility. |
| There is also a major Russian military contingent further inland, at Senaki, and Russian forces still control Gori, which lies some 15km (10 miles) from the border with South Ossetia. | There is also a major Russian military contingent further inland, at Senaki, and Russian forces still control Gori, which lies some 15km (10 miles) from the border with South Ossetia. |
| The Russian army brought in a large number of irregulars, mercenaries... They go around drunk, aggressive, armed and do all these atrocities Mikhail SaakashviliGeorgian President Russia in control and on moveGeorgians rally behind leader | The Russian army brought in a large number of irregulars, mercenaries... They go around drunk, aggressive, armed and do all these atrocities Mikhail SaakashviliGeorgian President Russia in control and on moveGeorgians rally behind leader |
| The crisis began on 7 August, when Georgian forces launched a surprise attack to regain control of the breakaway region of South Ossetia, which has had de facto independence since the end of a civil war in 1992. | The crisis began on 7 August, when Georgian forces launched a surprise attack to regain control of the breakaway region of South Ossetia, which has had de facto independence since the end of a civil war in 1992. |
| The move followed days of exchanges of heavy fire with the Russian-backed separatist militias. In response to the Georgian assault, Moscow sent armoured units across the border into South Ossetia to intervene. | The move followed days of exchanges of heavy fire with the Russian-backed separatist militias. In response to the Georgian assault, Moscow sent armoured units across the border into South Ossetia to intervene. |
| Scores of people have been killed by the fighting and tens of thousands displaced. | Scores of people have been killed by the fighting and tens of thousands displaced. |
| On Friday, Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili said he had signed an EU-brokered ceasefire agreement to end the conflict over South Ossetia. | On Friday, Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili said he had signed an EU-brokered ceasefire agreement to end the conflict over South Ossetia. |
| PEACE PLAN No more use of forceStop all military actions for goodFree access to humanitarian aidGeorgian troops return to their places of permanent deploymentRussian troops to return to pre-conflict positionsInternational talks about future status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia In pictures: Georgia tensionDay-by-day: Georgia-Russia crisis | PEACE PLAN No more use of forceStop all military actions for goodFree access to humanitarian aidGeorgian troops return to their places of permanent deploymentRussian troops to return to pre-conflict positionsInternational talks about future status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia In pictures: Georgia tensionDay-by-day: Georgia-Russia crisis |
| The deal includes a pledge to pull all troops back to their pre-conflict positions, and a plan to begin international talks about the future status of South Ossetia and another breakaway region, Abkhazia. | The deal includes a pledge to pull all troops back to their pre-conflict positions, and a plan to begin international talks about the future status of South Ossetia and another breakaway region, Abkhazia. |
| But Mr Saakashvili said his country would never accept any loss of its territory. | But Mr Saakashvili said his country would never accept any loss of its territory. |
| He also accused the Russians of committing war crimes during the crisis. | He also accused the Russians of committing war crimes during the crisis. |
| "The Russian army brought in a large number of irregulars, mercenaries," he said. "They go around drunk, aggressive, armed and do all these atrocities." | "The Russian army brought in a large number of irregulars, mercenaries," he said. "They go around drunk, aggressive, armed and do all these atrocities." |
| The president criticised the West too for not granting Georgia membership of Nato, saying it could have prevented the fighting. | The president criticised the West too for not granting Georgia membership of Nato, saying it could have prevented the fighting. |
| On her way back to the US to brief President Bush on her meeting with Mr Saakashvili, Ms Rice telephoned Russia's foreign minister to urge his country to sign to the ceasefire accord. | On her way back to the US to brief President Bush on her meeting with Mr Saakashvili, Ms Rice telephoned Russia's foreign minister to urge his country to sign to the ceasefire accord. |
| The UN puts the number of those displaced in the conflict at 118,000 | The UN puts the number of those displaced in the conflict at 118,000 |
| "[Mr Lavrov] said that Russia would implement the agreement faithfully," a state department official told journalists, adding that the Russian government first wanted to see Mr Saakashvili's signature on the document. | "[Mr Lavrov] said that Russia would implement the agreement faithfully," a state department official told journalists, adding that the Russian government first wanted to see Mr Saakashvili's signature on the document. |
| The official said Russia was likely to sign the accord on Saturday. | The official said Russia was likely to sign the accord on Saturday. |
| Earlier, the office of French President Nicolas Sarkozy confirmed the Russian leader, Dmitry Medvedev, had promised to sign the ceasefire deal and abide by its provision that Russian forces should withdraw from Georgian territory. | Earlier, the office of French President Nicolas Sarkozy confirmed the Russian leader, Dmitry Medvedev, had promised to sign the ceasefire deal and abide by its provision that Russian forces should withdraw from Georgian territory. |
| President Medvedev said that after what had happened, it was unlikely that the people of South Ossetia and Abkhazia could live in the same state as Georgians. | President Medvedev said that after what had happened, it was unlikely that the people of South Ossetia and Abkhazia could live in the same state as Georgians. |
| Diplomats have meanwhile said that the UN Security Council is expected to vote this weekend on a draft resolution formalising the ceasefire agreement. | Diplomats have meanwhile said that the UN Security Council is expected to vote this weekend on a draft resolution formalising the ceasefire agreement. |
| UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will meet the Russian permanent representative in New York, possibly on Saturday, because he has so far been unable to contact the Russian president, officials have said. | UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will meet the Russian permanent representative in New York, possibly on Saturday, because he has so far been unable to contact the Russian president, officials have said. |
| 'Watching with alarm' | 'Watching with alarm' |
| Later on Saturday, President Bush will hold a video conference with some of his most senior staff, including Ms Rice and Defence Secretary Robert Gates, to discuss the crisis in Georgia. | Later on Saturday, President Bush will hold a video conference with some of his most senior staff, including Ms Rice and Defence Secretary Robert Gates, to discuss the crisis in Georgia. |
| President Bush said Russia had to act to end the crisis in Georgia Russia angry at US missile deal | President Bush said Russia had to act to end the crisis in Georgia Russia angry at US missile deal |
| Speaking from his ranch in Texas in his weekly radio address, Mr Bush said Russia's actions in Georgia were "completely unacceptable to the free nations of the world". | Speaking from his ranch in Texas in his weekly radio address, Mr Bush said Russia's actions in Georgia were "completely unacceptable to the free nations of the world". |
| "The world has watched with alarm as Russia invaded a sovereign neighbouring state and threatened a democratic government elected by its people," he said. | "The world has watched with alarm as Russia invaded a sovereign neighbouring state and threatened a democratic government elected by its people," he said. |
| "To begin to repair the damage to its relations with the United States, Europe and other nations, and to begin restoring its place in the world, Russia must act to end this crisis," he added. | "To begin to repair the damage to its relations with the United States, Europe and other nations, and to begin restoring its place in the world, Russia must act to end this crisis," he added. |
| Mr Bush said he would send his secretary of state to Brussels next week to discuss how to deal with Russia with Nato foreign ministers and EU officials. | Mr Bush said he would send his secretary of state to Brussels next week to discuss how to deal with Russia with Nato foreign ministers and EU officials. |
| But the president did not respond to comments from Russia's deputy chief of staff, who said Moscow would be justified in launching a nuclear attack if Poland went through with its agreement to base US interceptor missiles on its territory as part of Washington's controversial defence shield. | But the president did not respond to comments from Russia's deputy chief of staff, who said Moscow would be justified in launching a nuclear attack if Poland went through with its agreement to base US interceptor missiles on its territory as part of Washington's controversial defence shield. |
| Back to story | Back to story |