Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev (R) and France's President Nicolas Sarkozy meet in Moscow's Kremlin, Aug. 12, 2008.  (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    TBILISI, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Georgia and Russia agreed in principle to ceasefire terms, French President Nicolas Sarkozy told a press conference here on Wednesday.

    Sarkozy and Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili had lengthy discussions on the text of a ceasefire agreement, local media said.

    Some changes were made to the agreement at Georgia's insistence, Sarkozy said at the press conference, adding that he had contacted Russian President Dmitry Medvedev twice during his talks with Saakashvili in the Georgian capital on Tuesday evening.

    The agreement would, among other things, prescribe setting up a humanitarian corridor, Sarkozy said.

    After approval by the European Union, the agreement will become a document which has legal effect, he said.

    Earlier on Tuesday, Medvedev and Sarkozy agreed in Moscow on six principles for the settlement of the conflict in South Ossetia.

    South Ossetia, formerly an autonomous region within Georgia, declared independence from Georgia in the early 1990s and it has been controlled by a secessionist government since then. But its independence has not been internationally recognized.

    On Friday, Georgian troops and armour entered a South Ossetian-controlled territory and began shelling Tshinvali. On the same day, Russian troops moved into the region to aid its peacekeepers there.

A Georgian soldier helps to direct a tank in Gori, some 80 km (50 miles) from Tbilisi, Aug. 11, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

U.S. official says Russia's halt of offensive "positive"

    WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad said Tuesday Russia's announcement to halt its offensive against Georgia is "positive."

    "Certainly what has been announced today is positive compared to what we heard yesterday," Khalilzad said in an interview with the National Public Radio.  Full story

Presidents of Russia, France agree on six principles to end South Ossetian conflict

    MOSCOW, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy agreed Tuesday on six principles for ending the hostilities in the Georgian breakaway region of South Ossetia.

    Among the six principles, the first is not to resort to the use of force, the second is to stop all military action, the third is free access to humanitarian aid, and the fourth is Georgian armed forces should return to their bases, the RIA Novosti news agency quoted Medvedev as saying. Full story

Georgian president announces break from CIS

    MOSCOW, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said Tuesday that his country will withdraw from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Russian news agencies reported.

    "We are fully withdrawing from the CIS and suggest that other countries also leave this association run by Russia," Saakashvili was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.  Full story

Russia calls for urgent meeting with NATO over South Ossetia

    BEIJING, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Russia was calling for an extraordinary meeting with NATO so that the alliance can be informed of Moscow's moves in South Ossetia, said Russian Ambassador to NATO Dmitry Rogozin on Monday. Full story

UN Security Council to meet on Georgia conflict

    UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council is to hold another emergency session Monday afternoon to discuss the fighting in Georgia.

    The meeting will be held at 5:00 p.m. (2100 GMT) at the request of Georgia, a UN spokesperson said.  Full story

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