Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili signed a European Union-backed peace proposal which will now be presented to Russia, a senior Georgian security official told the news agency AFP.
The EU's proposals are an attempt to end the conflict with Russia, French Foreign Minister Bernard EU, Russia Open Talks on New Strategic Partnership ...
Georgia detains 14 Russian troops ... Kouchner told French radio RTL from Tbilisi.
Kouchner, whose nation hold the rotating EU presidency, said that he found Saakashvili "determined to make peace." He added that the peace plan is "rather simple," and includes an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and access for victims to aid.
Kouchner and Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), will travel to Moscow for talks later on Monday.
EU foreign ministers will convene for an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday to discuss the crisis, the French EU presidency confirmed.
Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Gernot Erler German Deputy Foreign Minister Gernot Erler on Monday meanwhile called on Russia to end fighting as there was no justification for further attacks after Georgia declared a ceasefire on Sunday. Russian officials, however, say that Georgia is not observing the ceasefire.
"We don't know whether it is being adhered to 100 percent, but it is time to say that there is no longer any justification for further military attacks," Erler told German public radio, adding that the conflict so far had demonstrated the "clear military superiority of Russian forces."
French FM: US part of conflict
Kouchner meanwhile said that the EU would have to be the chief negotiator in the conflict since the US "in a sense was part of the conflict."
The White House on Monday, Aug. 11, said that "Russian aggression" in the Caucasus region "must not go unanswered," said a spokeswoman.
US Vice President Dick Cheney "praised (Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili for his government's restraint, offers of cease-fire, and disengagement of Georgian forces from the zone of conflict in the South Ossetian region," said Cheney's spokeswoman Lee Anne McBride.
Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: The US has sided with Georgia If it continues, the conflict could have serious implication for Russia's relations with the US and with the broader international community, the vice president reportedly said.
From the Olympic Games in Beijing on Monday, US President George W. Bush said in an interview with NBC Sports that he had he had been "very firm" with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin regarding the South Ossetian conflict.
He called Russia's response to Georgia "disproportionate" and urged that all troops return to the "status quo ante" from Aug. 6.
Reports of Russian attacks
The Georgian Interior Ministry said early Monday that Russian planes had bombed a military base and radar installation in the suburbs of its capital city Tbilisi.
Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: South Ossetian residents fled their homes over the weekend as Georgia launched attacks "There were two bombings, one at the Kojori military base and another on Mt. Makhata," Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili told Reuters news agency. "As far as I know, there are no casualties."
On Sunday, the Georgian Interior Ministry claimed that Russia tanks had crossed the border from South Ossetia into Georgia proper, but were turned back by Georgian forces.
Russia on Sunday claimed to have sunk a Georgian boat that was reportedly attempting to attack Russian vessels in the Black Sea off the coast of Georgia.
After nearly four days of fighting between Georgian and Russian troops, Russian troops were in control of the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali Sunday, when the Georgian government announced a unilateral ceasefire.
But even as the withdrawal of Georgian forces from Tskhinvali was confirmed by the Russian military, there were reports of continued fighting including an attack by Russian jets on Tbilisi's airport. Moscow, however, denied the report.
Casualty numbers climbing
Russian attacks have come in response to a Georgian offensive launched overnight Friday to gain control of the breakaway South Ossetian province.
The pro-Russian territory broke away from Georgia in 1992, shortly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and most of its residents have been granted Russian passports.
Russian Deputy Foreign Ministry Grigory Karasin said more than 2,000 people had been killed in South Ossetia since the fighting began Friday, reported AP, but the number has not been confirmed.
Abkhazia orders Georgians out
Georgia's second separatist region Abkhazia meanwhile ordered all Georgian soldiers and civilians to leave the upper Kodori Valley area or face an attack. Georgian positions in the upper valley bordering Russia were surrounded by Abkhazian forces, the leadership of the Russian-backed breakaway republic on the Black Sea said in the regional capital Suchumi, according to the Russian Interfax agency.
Indicating a possible further escalation of the conflict with Georgia, Moscow has moved 9,000 soldiers and 350 military vehicles into Abkhazia in the past few days. The move was intended to support Russian peacekeepers in Abkhazia, Moscow said.
The UN observer mission UNOMIG withdrew its military observers stationed in the area over the weekend.
While Abkhazia considers the sparsely populated Kodori Valley part of its territory, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili in 2006 set up a Georgian authority in the upper Kodori Valley after a Georgian police action there.
(Deutsche Welle)
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