France calls for European summit over Georgia

France today called for a meeting of European leaders on September 1 to discuss the crisis in Georgia and the European Union's relations with Russia.

President Nicolas Sarkozy's office said in a statement that France, in its role as current president of the European Union, had called for the summit which will take place in Brussels.

Leaders will discuss the Georgia crisis and examine the EU's relations with Russia and possible EU aid to Georgia.

Mr Sarkozy held a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev yesterday and called on Russian troops to leave Georgia's Black Sea port of Poti.

The Russia-Georgia conflict broke out on August 7 to 8 when Tbilisi tried to retake the pro-Russian breakaway province of South Ossetia, prompting a Russian counter-offensive that pushed into Georgia proper.

Hundreds of people were killed and tens of thousands displaced.

Moscow has ignored Western demands to pull its remaining troops from the Caucasus country's heartland following a French-brokered ceasefire accord.