Russian troops withdraw from South Ossetia border village

Oct 19, 2010, 12:35 GMT

Tbilisi/Moscow - Russian troops withdrew from a village on the border between Georgia and the breakaway region of South Ossetia, the Georgian Foreign Ministry has confirmed - two years after Russia and Georgia fought a bloody war over the enclave.

The ministry said in a statement late Monday the pull-out was 'a step made in the right direction.'

'However, it should be emphasized that the withdrawal of Russian occupational forces from Perevi is just a miniscule step in comparison with commitments envisaged by the ceasefire agreement of 12 August 2008 which Russia still has to comply with,' it added.

But the Russian newspaper Kommersant said Tuesday that the withdrawal was a concession to the West prior to a Russia-NATO summit in November - rather than to Tbilisi.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev also wanted to make a gesture to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who mediated between Russia and Georgia during the 2008 conflict, Kommersant said.

Medvedev is currently attending two-day talks with Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela in Deauville, France.

EU foreign policy chief said Russia's withdrawal was a 'positive development on the ground.'

Georgia lost control of the provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia during its five-day war with Russia in August 2008. Russia has recognized their independence and has stationed thousands of troops in the two provinces.

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