Troops show no signs of leaving Gori despite Russian promises

Army chief claims pull-out of 'peacekeepers' has begun, as Georgian president calls for talks with Moscow
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili speaks during German Chancellor Angela Merkels visit to Tbilisi
Mikheil Saakashvili, the Georgian president, speaks yesterday during German chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to Tbilisi. Photographer: Zurab Kurtsikidze/EPA

Russian forces were today seen strengthening their positions in the city of Gori, despite assurances that they had started to withdraw troops from Georgia under a French-brokered peace plan.

"The pull-out of peacekeeping forces started today," Colonel-General Anatoly Nogovitsyn, the deputy chief of staff of Russia's military, told a daily official briefing in Moscow.

However in Gori, 55 miles west of the capital, Tbilisi, Russian forces showed no sign of leaving and appeared to be digging in. The only movement seen by Associated Press reporters was in the opposite direction from Russia — toward the Georgian capital of Tbilisi.

In the afternoon, four Russian armoured personnel carriers, each carrying about 15 men, went from Gori to Igoeti, a crossroads town even closer to Tbilisi. Passing some Georgian soldiers sitting by the roadside, the Russians moved into Igoeti then turned off onto a side road.

The US has called an emergency meeting of Nato for tomorrow to discuss the alliance's response to Russia and the US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, is flying to Europe today for the event.

Mikheil Saakashvili, the Georgian president, switched to a conciliatory tone, calling for talks after Moscow said it would withdraw troops. Saakashvili had previously denounced Russians as "21st-century barbarians" after they routed Georgian forces sent in to re-annex Georgia's breakaway province of South Ossetia.

"I appeal to you that after your armed forces leave Georgian territory, to start serious thinking and discussions about further negotiations, a further search for ways [to conduct] relations in order not to sow discord between our countries for good," Saakashvili said.

Russian forces are supposed to leave Georgian territory today under a truce brokered by the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy. Western countries have warned the Kremlin of unspecified consequences unless it fulfils its pledge.

Kakha Lomaia, the secretary of Georgia's national security council, said he saw no sign of a Russian pullout. "The Russian general (Vyacheslav Borisov) promised last night to start the pullout at 10am, but so far there is no sign," he said on the main highway to Gori.

Georgian television showed Russian forces moving out of the western Georgian town of Senaki, but it was not clear if this was part of the promised larger retreat. A six-point peace plan calls for a prompt withdrawal of Russian forces from Georgia proper - the areas outside South Ossetia and a second Russian-backed separatist province of Abkhazia - but the west will also be looking for Russian troops to cut back their numbers quickly in South Ossetia itself.

As Georgia waited for Russian troops to leave, the leader of South Ossetia said he wanted Russia to put a military base on its territory and ruled out the return of international observers.

"We will ask the leadership of the Russian Federation for there to be a Russian military base on the territory of South Ossetia because Russian citizens live here," Eduard Kokoity, South Ossetia leader, told Reuters. "We will ask the Russian leadership - it is their decision."

Only Russia recognises South Ossetia, which broke away from Georgian rule in a 1991-92 war. Kokoity's comments underline South Ossetia's determination to move closer to Russia.

Kokoity fired his government and declared a month-long emergency as he criticised his cabinet for not doing enough to help thousands of people who fled their homes during the fighting.

"I consider the government was not working effectively so I signed the decree [to sack it]," he said. "We have created an emergency commission to liquidate the consequences of the Georgian aggression. This is connected to the fact that several members of the government are incapable of acting in such a serious military situation."

Nearly 100,000 people have been driven from their homes by the conflict, according to the UN refugee agency. The International Committee of the Red Cross has said up to half of South Ossetia's 70,000 people have fled.

Human Rights Watch called for the urgent deployment of an EU mission of police and security forces.

"This conflict has been a disaster for civilians," said Rachel Denber, Europe and Central Asia deputy director at Human Rights Watch. "An international security mission should be deployed to help protect civilians and create a safe environment for the displaced to return home. And international organisations should also send fact-finding missions to establish the facts, report on human rights, and urge the authorities to account for any crimes."

The UN said a first aid convoy managed to reach the Georgian town of Gori near the border with South Ossetia yesterday, and while buildings did not appear to be very damaged there were "clear signs of massive looting".

Russia says about 1,600 people were killed in the initial Georgian attack on the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali, a figure that has not been independently confirmed. Georgia accuses Russian and irregular forces of looting and burning Georgian villages around Tskhinvali.

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