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| Russia 'starts Georgia pull-out' | Russia 'starts Georgia pull-out' |
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| Russia has started to withdraw troops from Georgia, Moscow's general staff says, following a pledge by President Dmitry Medvedev. | Russia has started to withdraw troops from Georgia, Moscow's general staff says, following a pledge by President Dmitry Medvedev. |
| Mr Medvedev promised to abide by the terms of a ceasefire brokered to end 10 days of fighting in Georgia and its breakaway province of South Ossetia. | Mr Medvedev promised to abide by the terms of a ceasefire brokered to end 10 days of fighting in Georgia and its breakaway province of South Ossetia. |
| But Russian troops remain stationed near the Georgian capital Tbilisi. | But Russian troops remain stationed near the Georgian capital Tbilisi. |
| Moscow says it has the right to keep some troops as peacekeepers in a buffer zone around South Ossetia. | Moscow says it has the right to keep some troops as peacekeepers in a buffer zone around South Ossetia. |
| The West has repeatedly urged Russia to withdraw its troops. | The West has repeatedly urged Russia to withdraw its troops. |
| France has said it would call a special EU summit if Russia did not comply. | France has said it would call a special EU summit if Russia did not comply. |
| Monitoring call | Monitoring call |
| "The pull-out of peacekeeping forces started today," said the general staff's deputy chief, Colonel-General Anatoly Nogovitsyn, during a daily briefing on Monday. class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAYRussia needs to wake up to a new reality where the US and the world is trying to achieve unification and stabilityJanko Hrasko, Slovakia class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5232&edition=2&ttl=20080818121810">Send us your commentsBut Russian tanks, artillery and other military vehicles are still in place at Igueti, just over 35km (22 miles) from the capital, Tbilisi, says the BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse, who is in the area. | |
| There has been sporadic military activity along the highway to the town of Gori, our correspondent adds, pointing out that Russian forces control the entry and exit roads to the town. | There has been sporadic military activity along the highway to the town of Gori, our correspondent adds, pointing out that Russian forces control the entry and exit roads to the town. |
| Moscow - which has had peacekeepers in South Ossetia since 1992 - says it will only fully withdraw combat troops from Georgian territory once extra security measures are in place. | Moscow - which has had peacekeepers in South Ossetia since 1992 - says it will only fully withdraw combat troops from Georgian territory once extra security measures are in place. |
| See map of the region | See map of the region |
| Mr Medvedev made the withdrawal pledge on Sunday, in a telephone call to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who brokered last week's ceasefire. | Mr Medvedev made the withdrawal pledge on Sunday, in a telephone call to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who brokered last week's ceasefire. |
| But the Russian president did not clearly state that additional troops sent to Georgia during the conflict would return to Russia, suggesting some may retreat only as far as South Ossetia. | But the Russian president did not clearly state that additional troops sent to Georgia during the conflict would return to Russia, suggesting some may retreat only as far as South Ossetia. |
| And on Monday, he issued a stern message that any further aggression against Russian citizens would face a "crushing response". | And on Monday, he issued a stern message that any further aggression against Russian citizens would face a "crushing response". |
| "If anyone thinks that they can kill our citizens and escape unpunished, we will never allow this. If anyone tries this again, we will come out with a crushing response," he told an audience of Second World War veterans in the city of Kursk. | "If anyone thinks that they can kill our citizens and escape unpunished, we will never allow this. If anyone tries this again, we will come out with a crushing response," he told an audience of Second World War veterans in the city of Kursk. |
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| Russian troops are moving around inside Georgia but are not yet withdrawing | Russian troops are moving around inside Georgia but are not yet withdrawing |
| Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili, who has taken a combative stance to Russia's actions so far, adopted a more conciliatory approach to Moscow's leadership in a televised speech on Monday. | Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili, who has taken a combative stance to Russia's actions so far, adopted a more conciliatory approach to Moscow's leadership in a televised speech on Monday. |
| "Let's then start thinking, negotiating how can we prevent the definitive estrangement of our two countries," he said. | "Let's then start thinking, negotiating how can we prevent the definitive estrangement of our two countries," he said. |
| Previously, Mr Saakashvili had launched repeated vehement verbal attacks on Moscow, accusing Russia of a string of human rights abuses inside Georgia, including "ethnic cleansing". | Previously, Mr Saakashvili had launched repeated vehement verbal attacks on Moscow, accusing Russia of a string of human rights abuses inside Georgia, including "ethnic cleansing". |
| Monday's speech represented a departure from that and was the first time he had called for direct negotiations with Moscow since the crisis began. | Monday's speech represented a departure from that and was the first time he had called for direct negotiations with Moscow since the crisis began. |
| "Let's resolve problems through civilised methods," he said. | "Let's resolve problems through civilised methods," he said. |
| Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called for an explanation after its president, Jakob Kellenberger, was refused entry to South Ossetia on a humanitarian mission. | Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called for an explanation after its president, Jakob Kellenberger, was refused entry to South Ossetia on a humanitarian mission. |
| Several non-governmental organisations have complained of difficulties in getting access to South Ossetia, where entry points are controlled by Russian troops. | Several non-governmental organisations have complained of difficulties in getting access to South Ossetia, where entry points are controlled by Russian troops. |
| Buffer zone | Buffer zone |
| There are likely to be many more discussions about the exact interpretation of the rather vague ceasefire deal - especially over just how far into Georgia Russian troops are allowed to remain, says the BBC's Caroline Wyatt in Moscow. 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 security in South Ossetia and Abkhazia Day-by-day: Georgia-Russia crisisIn pictures: Russians in GeorgiaGeorgia left reeling | There are likely to be many more discussions about the exact interpretation of the rather vague ceasefire deal - especially over just how far into Georgia Russian troops are allowed to remain, says the BBC's Caroline Wyatt in Moscow. 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 security in South Ossetia and Abkhazia Day-by-day: Georgia-Russia crisisIn pictures: Russians in GeorgiaGeorgia left reeling |
| A covering letter attached to the ceasefire apparently says Russia can place peacekeepers in a buffer zone of a few kilometres around the South Ossetian border, our correspondent says. | A covering letter attached to the ceasefire apparently says Russia can place peacekeepers in a buffer zone of a few kilometres around the South Ossetian border, our correspondent says. |
| Moscow has already started to say it plans to enforce a 1999 peacekeeping accord on South Ossetia, which would allow it to put Russian peacekeepers 14km into Georgia proper. | Moscow has already started to say it plans to enforce a 1999 peacekeeping accord on South Ossetia, which would allow it to put Russian peacekeepers 14km into Georgia proper. |
| Mr Saakashvili has called for international monitoring of the pull-out. | Mr Saakashvili has called for international monitoring of the pull-out. |
| And US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she hoped Mr Medvedev would keep his word on the troop withdrawal pledge, warning that Russia's reputation as a potential partner was "in tatters". | And US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she hoped Mr Medvedev would keep his word on the troop withdrawal pledge, warning that Russia's reputation as a potential partner was "in tatters". |
| Mr Sarkozy said on Sunday there would be "serious consequences" in Moscow's relations with the European Union if Russia failed to honour its word. | Mr Sarkozy said on Sunday there would be "serious consequences" in Moscow's relations with the European Union if Russia failed to honour its word. |
| And in a separate opinion article published by Le Figaro newspaper on Monday, he said that if Russia did not "rapidly and totally" implement the pull-out as specified in the ceasefire, he would "call an extraordinary meeting of the council of the European Union". | And in a separate opinion article published by Le Figaro newspaper on Monday, he said that if Russia did not "rapidly and totally" implement the pull-out as specified in the ceasefire, he would "call an extraordinary meeting of the council of the European Union". |
| German Chancellor Angela Merkel has travelled to the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, to express support for Mr Saakashvili, and urged a prompt Russian withdrawal. | German Chancellor Angela Merkel has travelled to the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, to express support for Mr Saakashvili, and urged a prompt Russian withdrawal. |
| The UN puts the number of those displaced in the conflict at 160,000 | The UN puts the number of those displaced in the conflict at 160,000 |
| As well as key towns such as Gori and Senaki, in the west, Russian troops also hold almost all of the main highway running east-west through Georgia. | As well as key towns such as Gori and Senaki, in the west, Russian troops also hold almost all of the main highway running east-west through Georgia. |
| There are reports of Russia moving SS-21 missile launchers near to South Ossetia's capital, Tskhinvali, putting them within range of Tbilisi. | There are reports of Russia moving SS-21 missile launchers near to South Ossetia's capital, Tskhinvali, putting them within range of Tbilisi. |
| The conflict between Georgia and Russia erupted on 7 August, when Georgia launched an assault to retake South Ossetia, an enclave within Georgia controlled by pro-Russian separatists. There had been frequent exchanges of fire before the escalation. | The conflict between Georgia and Russia erupted on 7 August, when Georgia launched an assault to retake South Ossetia, an enclave within Georgia controlled by pro-Russian separatists. There had been frequent exchanges of fire before the escalation. |
| Georgia's operation triggered Russia's counter-offensive. The heavy fighting devastated towns and villages and forced nearly 160,000 people to flee their homes, according to the UNHCR. | Georgia's operation triggered Russia's counter-offensive. The heavy fighting devastated towns and villages and forced nearly 160,000 people to flee their homes, according to the UNHCR. |
| Nato ministers are expected to gather this week to discuss the crisis. The US is backing efforts by both Georgia and Ukraine to join the alliance, and on Sunday Mrs Merkel offered her support to Tbilisi's bid. | Nato ministers are expected to gather this week to discuss the crisis. The US is backing efforts by both Georgia and Ukraine to join the alliance, and on Sunday Mrs Merkel offered her support to Tbilisi's bid. |
| Back to story | Back to story |