OREANDA-NEWS. September 8, 2008. Dmitry Medvedev and Nicolas Sarkozy agreed on additional measures to the Georgian-South-Ossetian conflict resolution plan adopted on August 12, 2008.

Speaking at a press conference following the meeting with the EU leadership, Mr Medvedev said that the agreed document will take effect immediately, given that Russia has already received guarantees of Georgian non-aggression from the European Union and from France, as the country currently holding the EU presidency.

Russia is ready to withdraw all of its peacekeepers from the five observation posts along the line from Poti to Senaki inclusive within a maximum deadline of seven days, taking into account the signature on September 8, 2008, of legally binding documents providing guarantees of non-aggression against Abkhazia. 

Russia will withdraw in full its peacekeepers from the zones adjoining South Ossetia and Abkhazia to the positions where they were stationed before the start of hostilities. This withdrawal will be carried out within ten days following the deployment of international mechanisms in these zones, (including at least 200 observers from the European Union), no later than October 1, 2008, taking into account legally binding documents guaranteeing non-aggression against Abkhazia and South Ossetia. 

At the same time, the complete return of Georgian armed forces to their bases should be carried out by October 1, 2008. 

UN and OSCE international observers in Georgia will continue to carry out their mandate in their zone of responsibility in accordance with the number and deployment scheme as of August 7, 2008, without detriment to possible future adjustments decided by the UN Security Council and the OSCE Standing Council respectively. 

The parties agreed that as guarantor of the principle of non-aggression, the European Union will actively prepare the deployment of an observer mission in addition to the existing observer mechanisms.

The international discussions stipulated in point six of the Medvedev-Sarkozy plan of August 12, 2008, will begin on October 15, 2008 in Geneva. Preliminary discussions will begin this September. The discussions will examine ways to ensure security and stability in the region, settling the issue of refugees and displaced persons on the basis of internationally recognised principles and post-conflict resolution practice and also any other issue put forward with the mutual approval of the parties.

The document confirms the obligations by all parties to respect in full the Medvedev-Sarkozy six-point plan of August 12, 2008.

Also taking part in the meeting were President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, Secretary General of the European Council Javier Solana and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.