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Medvedev: Russia ready for Georgia buffer pullout

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-09-08 23:54

MEIENDORF CASTLE - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday Russia would pull out from buffer zones around South Ossetia if an international force is in place and there is a guarantee Georgia refrains from using force again.

France's President Nicolas Sarkozy (L) and Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev meet at a presidential residence outside Moscow, September 8, 2008. [Agencies]

"Russia has received from the countries of the European Union, and France which is chairman of the European Union, a guarantee of the non-use of force by Georgia," said Medvedev after meeting French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Medvedev said there was an agreement in principle to deploy a 200-strong EU monitoring contingent after he met Sarkozy and an EU delegation at his official residence outside Moscow to discuss the fallout of the Georgia conflict.