Russia and Georgia Prepared for Negotiation


Russia has sent hundreds of tanks and troops into Georgia's breakaway province of South Ossetia and bombed Georgian towns for a second day.

The latest escalation of conflict came after Georgia launched a massive attack to regain control over the province on Friday.

Visiting a hospital in Tbilisi, Georgia's capital city, President Mikhail Saakashvili says Georgia offers Russia an immediate cease-fire and dialogue.

"I ask the Russian president, Mr Medvedev, to stop this madness. This isn't within the interests of neither Russia nor Georgia."
In the latest development, U.N. officials confirmed on Sunday that Georgia is prepared to negotiate with Russia by withdrawing its troops from South Ossetia and creating what they called a safe travel zone.

Russia also declared itself ready to make peace with Georgia.

In his statement, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has urged all parties to immediately end hostilities and to engage without delay in negotiations to achieve a peaceful settlement.

The U.N. Security Council also met on Sunday for the fourth time in as many days, but failed to reach an agreement on a truce call for the escalating conflict in Georgia.

Georgia's Foreign Ministry said its soldiers were observing a cease-fire on orders of the president and declared the move in a note handed over to Russia's envoy to Tbilisi.