Russia must withdraw troops from Georgia: Merkel

BERLIN (Reuters) - Russia has failed to honor a French-brokered ceasefire accord over its military withdrawal from Georgia and must pull its troops out now, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday.

Ties with Moscow could be scaled back if the troops were not withdrawn, Merkel told German ZDF state television.

"According to all our information, they have not withdrawn in the manner agreed," she said.

"We can't just go back to normal (as it is)," she said,

Earlier, France called for a meeting of European leaders on September 1 to discuss the situation in Georgia.

Despite recent tensions with Russia over Georgia, Merkel said she did not foresee a return to the Cold War.

"The situation today is completely different," she said.

Merkel said Georgia had the right to join NATO but that she did not expect a formal decision about its bid to be made at the next NATO summit.

In principle though, she said: "Georgia and Ukraine will become NATO members."

(Reporting by Gernot Heller, writing by Dave Graham; Editing by Angus MacSwan)