Russia has not complied with a declared ceasefire that calls
for the withdrawal of soldiers on Georgian soil outside of the disputed
breakaway regions, the White House said Friday.
"We are not seeing that they are in compliance right now," Gordon
Johndroe, a White House spokesman, said in Crawford, Texas, where President
George W Bush was vacationing.
"They have not completely withdrawn from areas considered undisputed
territory. And they need to do that," Johndroe said.
Bush spoke on the telephone with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who brokered
the ceasefire agreement between Russia and Georgia on August 11. But Russia has
continued to position soldiers outside of the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia and deep into Georgian territory.
The Georgian government confirmed Friday that Russia has pulled some troops out
of key cities but is still manning checkpoints.
Bush has warned Russia that it face consequences on the international stage for
invading Georgia. Russian soldiers marched into the country after the Georgian
military retaliated against separatist militias in South Ossetia. Fighting
quickly spread to Abkhazia.
Russia supports the two regions' secessionist ambitions, dpa
reported.