Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has called for more monitors from Europe's security body the OSCE to be deployed in Georgia, a Kremlin statement said.

It said they Russia Halts NATO Military Cooperation ...
Steinmeier: Russia has "Crossed the Line" in Georgia ...
International leaders call for ceasefire in Georgia ...
German FM proposes Abkhazia plan in Georgia ...
Merkel, Medvedev seek continuity in relations ... would provide "impartial monitoring" of Tbilisi's actions following a war between Georgia and Russia over South Ossetia this month.

Earlier, Mr Medvedev spoke by phone to UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

He said Russia recognised Georgia's regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia because of Tbilisi's aggression.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also spoke with his German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, on Saturday, according to the AFP agency.

The conversations came ahead of an extraordinary EU meeting set to start on Monday, where Russia's recognition of the two territories is likely to be strongly criticised.

The Kremlin statement said Mr Medvedev told Mr Brown that the Georgian aggression "fundamentally altered the conditions in which, during 17 years, attempts were made to the settle the relations between South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Georgia".

The conflict in the region began on 7 August when Georgia tried to retake South Ossetia by force after a series of lower-level clashes.

Russia launched a counter-attack and the Georgian troops were ejected from both South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russian troops continued their operation, advancing deep inside Georgia's territory.

An EU-brokered ceasefire brought a formal end to the conflict five days later, although each side has accused the other of breaking the agreement.

Russia has since withdrawn the bulk of its force and says the troops left behind are serving as peacekeepers.

Georgia has described them as an occupation force, announcing that it is cutting diplomatic relations with Moscow.

The Kremlin statement said Russia was "in favour of the deployment of additional OSCE [Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe] monitors in the security zone" in Georgia.

Earlier this month, the OSCE decided to increase the number of its military observers by up 100 in Georgia.

The Russian statement also said that Moscow "looks forward to maintaining a constructive dialogue with EU, other international organisations, as well as individual countries".

(BBC)

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