Georgia *update*

Russia agrees to Georgia ceasefire

French president Nicolas Sarkozy brokers peace deal to end fighting in South Ossetia

Moscow today agreed to a peace deal brokered by French president Nicolas Sarkozy that could see an end to the fighting in Georgia.

The ceasefire agreement calls for both Russian and Georgian troops to withdraw to the positions they held before hostilities began last week.

Sarkozy, who holds the European Union's rotating presidency, visited Moscow today for talks with the Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev.

The six-point plan, endorsed by Medvedev, calls on Russia and Georgia to end the fighting and to allow access for humanitarian assistance. Sarkozy said the EU was ready to send peacekeepers to the area if all parties involved in the conflict agreed.

However, Medvedev said Russian troops would remain in Abkhazia and South Ossetia to "uphold security".

Georgia seems to of have bad tactics, for instance they could have blocked the Roki Tunnel (which is where the Russians entered)and made sure they had the ability to shoot down Russian aircraft

Its a mystery why Georgia would antagonize Russia, if they were not prepared for it, I find it hard to believe that they would be naive as to expect one of the Western powers to step in.

The Guardian has a good map of the area

More Analysis

David Osler - South Ossetia: the left doesn't have to take sides

Ken MacLeod - Guns of August

Chris Floyd - Marching Through Georgia III: Reality's Rout and Cheney's Viagra

Lenin's Tomb - Schisms and cataclyms of the new world order.

The ever excellent Billmon has made a reappearance on Daily Kos with a superb piece on the recent conflict in the Caucasus region - Anatomy of A(nother) Fiasco

Organised Rage - Russian armies can’t march into other peoples countries, whilst Russian shoppers march into Selfridges.