Russia to start withdrawal of its peacekeepers out of safety zone near South Ossetia on October 8

On October 8, Russia will start withdrawing its peacekeeping posts from the southern border of South-Ossetian safety zone. The process will take about 24 hours, as General-Major Marat Kulakhmetov, commander of peacekeeping forces, said today.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported earlier that according to the document on stabilization of the situation, signed by Presidents of France, Russia and Georgia, Russian military units should leave Georgia before October 10.

"On Wednesday, after 10:00 a.m. we'll start official withdrawal of our all six peacekeeping observation posts from the southern border of the safety zone," the ITAR-TASS quotes Mr Kulakhmetov as saying.

According to the commander of Russian peacekeepers, all the material assets have already been taken away from the observation posts in the southern safety zone, the "Interfax" reports. "It is necessary to perform a small complex of works to reclaim the land: fill in the trenches, dugouts and protective ditches," Marat Kulakhmetov has noted.

As he said, the process will take 24 hours, as planned.

Let us note here that NATO's official spokesman has welcomed today Russia's actions in performance of the Medvedev-Sarkozy plan. "Russia moves in direction of implementing the peaceful plan, and it can only be welcomed," James Appaturay told journalists in Brussels, the RIA "Novosti" reports.

Earlier, a representative of Russian Ministry of Defence has reported informed that EU observers will be present at withdrawal of Russian peacekeeping posts from the southern border of the safety zone between Georgia and South Ossetia.