First EU monitors enter Georgian buffer zones

EU monitors entered a Russian-controlled buffer zone around the breakaway region of South Ossetia for the first time in a smooth start to their peacekeeping operation.

The 200-plus EU monitors began deploying under a French-brokered ceasefire deal that should see Russia pull troops back within 10 days from two buffer zones inside Georgia, occupied after their brief war in August.

The Russian military and EU officials had said earlier there was still no agreement on full access to the zones. But yesterday at least two EU patrols entered the South Ossetia buffer zone at separate points past Russian checkpoints.

A Reuters reporter travelling with one of the patrols, led by French civilian monitors, entered the zone in the village of Nabakhtevi, near the northern town of Gori. "We're in the buffer zone," one of the monitors confirmed.

After lengthy discussions with Russian commanders, a second patrol entered at the village of Karaleti, a region seen as a key test of Russia's readiness to allow the monitors access.

Karaleti lies on the main highway leading into South Ossetia from the south and is part of a sector where human rights groups say paramilitaries have been looting and attacking ethnic Georgian villages since the war. Thousands of villagers have fled the area.

"Patrols made first contact with authorities and population," an EU spokesman said later. "They also passed different Russian checkpoints and entered the so-called adjacent areas," he added, saying operations had started "smoothly".

The EU mission said it hoped to coordinate a "step-by-step" withdrawal of Russian forces and simultaneous return of Georgian police to the buffer zones to avoid a security vacuum that could be exploited by roaming militias.

Russia, whose troops entered in response to a Georgian offensive to retake South Ossetia, has said the monitors will not be allowed inside South Ossetia or a second breakaway region, Abkhazia, recognised by Moscow and Nicaragua as independent states.

Moscow says there is no need for the EU monitors to operate in South Ossetia or Abkhazia because its troops are guaranteeing security there. Russia plans to post more than 7,000 troops in the rebel regions.

As they set off yesterday, it was unclear whether the monitors would enter the buffer zones. As the first patrol entered towards the west, EU mission head Hansjoerg Haber was telling reporters in the east: "We have received assurances from the Russian side at the political level that we will be able to make these patrols."