Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev chairs the session of the State Security Council at the presidential residence at the Black Sea resort of Sochi, August 16, 2008. Medvedev on Saturday signed a ceasefire agreement ending hostilities with Georgia over the breakaway region of South Ossetia, the Kremlin said.REUTERS/RIA NOVOSTI/Kremlin/Vladimir Rodionov (RUSSIA)
From Yahoo News/AP:
IGOETI, Georgia - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a truce with Georgia on Saturday, a definitive step toward ending the fighting there despite the uncertainty on the ground reflected by Russian soldiers digging in just 30 miles from the Georgian capital.
Medvedev spokesman Alexei Pavlov said Medvedev signed the agreement in the resort city of Sochi, where the president has a summer residence, but did not give further details. It was not immediately clear if any troops had begun pulling back after Medvedev signed the cease-fire.
The agreement was signed by Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili the day before. It calls for both sides forces to pull back to positions they held before fighting erupted Aug. 8 after Georgia launched a massive barrage to try to take control of the Russian-backed separatist region of South Ossetia. The Russian army quickly overwhelmed the forces of its small U.S.-backed neighbor and then drove deep into Georgia.
Read more ....
More News On the Georgian/Russian War
Russian president signs Georgia peace plan: Kremlin -- Yahoo News/AFP
Georgia and Russia declare ceasefire -- The Guardian
Moscow Sees No Need to Give an Inch -- Spiegel Online
Bush, top aides, to map moves on Georgia crisis -- Yahoo News/AFP
Georgia accuses Russia of downing key bridge -- Yahoo News/Reuters
My Comment: Signing a piece of paper will only get the process going. I am sure that the Georgians wish the Russians were gone yesterday, but realistically they are not going to rush to accommodate the Georgians, and are in fact going to be in Georgia for a very long time.
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