Russians pull out, U.S. unhappy

Many Russian tanks and troops left Georgia on Friday in the first major withdrawal since a truce was signed, AFP says. But the French news agency quotes a senior Russian general who said that strategic routes would remain occupied. Russians pull out, U.S. unhappy Despite Russia's pull out from areas deep inside Georgia to the two Moscow-backed separatist zones of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, international tensions remained high. Moscow criticized a NATO naval exercise taking place in the Black Sea, while in New York the United Nations again failed to agree on a resolution on the conflict. Russian troops, who poured into Georgia on August 8 to defend South Ossetia against an attack by Georgian troops, rolled northward toward Russia, some flashing victory signs. Some 50 military vehicles including tanks and trucks bearing artillery guns travelled along a main highway between the city of Gori and South Ossetia. Hundreds of other soldiers were seen going in the same direction earlier. Russia says 500 peacekeepers are to remain in a buffer zone around South Ossetia. An unknown number of combat troops also remain inside South Ossetia as well as Abkhazia, which broke away from Tbilisi in the 1990s. In Moscow, the deputy chief of general staff, Anatoly Nogovitsyn, showed journalists a map detailing what he said would be Russian peacekeepers' "zone of responsibility." This includes control of a key highway linking the Georgian capital to the Black Sea, a vital area for Georgia economy, according to AFP. Military posts are to be established outside Poti and troops will have the right to deploy anywhere on the road between Poti and Senaki, according to the map. Two other stretches of the same road that come within the "zone of responsibility" flank Gori, just west of Tbilisi, the map showed. The deployments effectively strip Georgia of control over its main east-west road, a crucial economic artery. In addition, Novogitsyn said that "if needed we reserve the right to boost these forces." Western capitals have rallied around Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who is seeking NATO membership for his country of just under five million people. U.S. President George. Bush told Saakashvili on Thursday that he wanted a quick end to Russia's "siege" the White House said. Earlier today, the White House said that Russia must withdraw its troops from Georgia "immediately". U.S. officials said that Moscow had already violated the terms of a ceasefire by keeping its troops in Georgia. Reuters reports that 21 Russian tanks and APCs were seen moving through a tunnel close to the Georgian-Russian border, in the direction of Russia. Although the commander of the Russian Army Land Forces Gen. Vladimir Boldyrev said that the withdrawal is going according to plan and will complete in ten days, Georgians are saying that the troops are staying put. Georgian Black Sea port of Poti Mayor Ivan Saginadze says that the Russians are taking up positions near this town and building fortifications there. "They have Poti surrounded and are looking for suitable locations to settle," he was quoted as saying. In the meantime, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili told France's Le Figaro newspaper that the EU and the United States should undertake steps "to make Russian troops leave Georgia, and stop their expansionism". Reuters says that this comment comes "as the frustration in the West is growing over Russia's delays to pull out its troops from Georgia". Washington accused Moscow of putting "minimal efforts" in this, while Finland's foreign minister and OSCE chairman, Alexander Stubb, said that he saw no signs of withdrawal. "The good news is that aid, food is arriving. But Russian soldiers are committing crimes, civilians are unprotected. Russian Special Forces literally emptied villages and evacuated the elderly from South Ossetia into the crowded Gori," he was quoted as saying. Russia and Georgia earlier signed a truce that says their armies must return to the positions held before the war started on August 7. Russians are entitled to operate in a security zone spreading seven kilometers from the South Ossetian border, but the town of Poti is not close to this zone. Russian soldiers seen near Poti on Thurday (Beta)

Russians pull out, U.S. unhappy

Despite Russia's pull out from areas deep inside Georgia to the two Moscow-backed separatist zones of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, international tensions remained high.

Moscow criticized a NATO naval exercise taking place in the Black Sea, while in New York the United Nations again failed to agree on a resolution on the conflict.

Russian troops, who poured into Georgia on August 8 to defend South Ossetia against an attack by Georgian troops, rolled northward toward Russia, some flashing victory signs.

Some 50 military vehicles including tanks and trucks bearing artillery guns travelled along a main highway between the city of Gori and South Ossetia.

Hundreds of other soldiers were seen going in the same direction earlier.

Russia says 500 peacekeepers are to remain in a buffer zone around South Ossetia. An unknown number of combat troops also remain inside South Ossetia as well as Abkhazia, which broke away from Tbilisi in the 1990s.

In Moscow, the deputy chief of general staff, Anatoly Nogovitsyn, showed journalists a map detailing what he said would be Russian peacekeepers' "zone of responsibility."

This includes control of a key highway linking the Georgian capital to the Black Sea, a vital area for Georgia economy, according to AFP.

Military posts are to be established outside Poti and troops will have the right to deploy anywhere on the road between Poti and Senaki, according to the map.

Two other stretches of the same road that come within the "zone of responsibility" flank Gori, just west of Tbilisi, the map showed.

The deployments effectively strip Georgia of control over its main east-west road, a crucial economic artery.

In addition, Novogitsyn said that "if needed we reserve the right to boost these forces."

Western capitals have rallied around Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who is seeking NATO membership for his country of just under five million people.

U.S. President George. Bush told Saakashvili on Thursday that he wanted a quick end to Russia's "siege" the White House said.

Earlier today, the White House said that Russia must withdraw its troops from Georgia "immediately".

U.S. officials said that Moscow had already violated the terms of a ceasefire by keeping its troops in Georgia.

Reuters reports that 21 Russian tanks and APCs were seen moving through a tunnel close to the Georgian-Russian border, in the direction of Russia.

Although the commander of the Russian Army Land Forces Gen. Vladimir Boldyrev said that the withdrawal is going according to plan and will complete in ten days, Georgians are saying that the troops are staying put.

Georgian Black Sea port of Poti Mayor Ivan Saginadze says that the Russians are taking up positions near this town and building fortifications there.

"They have Poti surrounded and are looking for suitable locations to settle," he was quoted as saying.

In the meantime, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili told France's Le Figaro newspaper that the EU and the United States should undertake steps "to make Russian troops leave Georgia, and stop their expansionism".

Reuters says that this comment comes "as the frustration in the West is growing over Russia's delays to pull out its troops from Georgia".

Washington accused Moscow of putting "minimal efforts" in this, while Finland's foreign minister and OSCE chairman, Alexander Stubb, said that he saw no signs of withdrawal.

"The good news is that aid, food is arriving. But Russian soldiers are committing crimes, civilians are unprotected. Russian Special Forces literally emptied villages and evacuated the elderly from South Ossetia into the crowded Gori," he was quoted as saying.

Russia and Georgia earlier signed a truce that says their armies must return to the positions held before the war started on August 7.

Russians are entitled to operate in a security zone spreading seven kilometers from the South Ossetian border, but the town of Poti is not close to this zone.