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Russian buffer zone in Georgia seen against agreements

HELSINKI
Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:48pm EDT

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Russian buffer zones inside Georgia would violate the spirit of the ceasefire agreement Russian and Georgian presidents signed, the head of Europe's top rights and security body said on Friday.

"This buffer zone actually refers to agreements from 1999 and 1994, and my view is that it is against the spirit of the so-called ceasefire agreement," Alexander Stubb, chairman of the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said on Finnish national broadcaster Yle.

"My interpretation is that buffer zones should not be built, but we will discuss all this during the next few days," said Stubb, who is also Finland's foreign Minister.

The OSCE agreed on Tuesday to send up to 100 more soldiers to monitor the ceasefire and withdrawal of Russian troops, with 20 scheduled to arrive by this weekend.

(Reporting by Sakari Suoninen)


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