MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION INFORMATION AND PRESS DEPARTMENT _______________________________ 32/34 Smolenskaya-Sennaya pl., 119200, Moscow G-200; tel.: (499) 244 4119, fax: (499) 244 4112 e-mail: dip@mid.ru, web-address: www.mid.ru |
Dmitry Medvedev once again - this time personally - expressed his condolences to Nicolas Sarkozy concerning the French soldiers who were killed last night in Afghanistan.
As in previous days, the main topic of conversation was the practical implementation of the six conflict resolution principles that the two presidents agreed to in Moscow. The President of Russia informed his French counterpart about the implementation of their decision to withdraw Russian troops from Georgian territory.
In particular, it was noted that by 22 August 2008 this year, after completing construction of checkpoints and cantonments, part of the Russian peacekeeping contingent will withdraw to the security zone established by decision of the Joint Control Commission for Resolution of the Georgian-South Ossetian Conflict in 1999. The remaining portion of the contingent that was sent to reinforce the Russian peacekeeping mission will withdraw to the territory of South Ossetia and to Russia.
The conversation was held at French initiative.