Russia Calls on Georgian, South Ossetian Sides for Ceasefire

The Russian authorities called on the Georgian and South Ossetian sides to immediately cease fire in the conflict area and enter into negotiations.

?The conflicting sides should fulfill the agreements achieved within the frames of the Joint Control Commission [involving the Georgian, South Ossetian, Russian and North Ossetian sides], as well as during the recent Moscow talks between the Georgian and Russian Defense Ministers and pull out extra troops from the conflict area,? First Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Valerie Loshchinin said on August 12.
 
The Russian side is offering to hold an extraordinary session of the Joint Control Commission in Tskhinvali to help relax the tension in breakaway South Ossetia.