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| Russia removes Georgia checkpoint | Russia removes Georgia checkpoint |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Russian troops have removed a key checkpoint from Georgian territory near the breakaway province of South Ossetia, European Union observers say. | Russian troops have removed a key checkpoint from Georgian territory near the breakaway province of South Ossetia, European Union observers say. |
| The checkpoint, near the town of Gori, a gateway to the separatist region, is the first taken down by the Russians under a withdrawal pledge. | The checkpoint, near the town of Gori, a gateway to the separatist region, is the first taken down by the Russians under a withdrawal pledge. |
| Russia has agreed to pull out troops from two buffer zones within Georgia by 10 October, under EU observation. | Russia has agreed to pull out troops from two buffer zones within Georgia by 10 October, under EU observation. |
| Russia and Georgia fought a 10-day conflict over South Ossetia in August. | Russia and Georgia fought a 10-day conflict over South Ossetia in August. |
| Russia has kept troops in South Ossetia - and Georgia's other breakaway region, Abkhazia - since ousting Georgian forces during the conflict. EU OBSERVERS IN GEORGIA More than 200 unarmed observers from 22 EU nationsHQ in Tbilisi, with additional four field officesOversee Russia's pullout from "buffer zones" by 10 OctDeployed under a French-brokered peace dealMission's initial duration is 12 months | |
| Some 200 EU observers are now on the ground overseeing the military's compliance, or otherwise, with pledges made by leaders at the Kremlin. | |
| They reported the first signs of progress on Sunday morning. | |
| "Our observers went to the checkpoint in Ali, north-west of Gori, and saw that it has been dismantled," and EU spokesman told the AFP news agency. | |
| "This is the first dismantled checkpoint." |