Russian Minister Says Troops to Remain in Georgian Regions a Long Time

Russia's foreign minister said Tuesday that Russian troops will be a presence in the Georgian breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia "for a long time." Sergei Lavrov said Russian forces are needed to prevent Georgia from attempting to regain control of the two breakaway regions.

Monday, Russia and Georgia agreed that all Russian troops would be pulled out of the so-called security zones outside the two breakaway regions by October 15.

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev received a written guarantee that Georgia would not use force again in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili stipulated that any agreement must respect Georgia's territorial integrity.  

French President Nicolas Sarkozy negotiated the agreement between Moscow and Tbilisi.  He also drew up last month's cease-fire between the two countries.

Mr. Sarkozy said Russian military checkpoints around the Black Sea port of Poti would be gone by next week.  He also said international talks on security in South Ossetia will begin October 15th in Geneva.

Russia has insisted its troops in and near South Ossetia and Abkhazia are peacekeepers and in compliance with the cease-fire.

But Georgia has accused Moscow of violating the cease-fire by deploying additional troops to key sites outside the buffer zones.

Russian forces pushed into Georgia last month after the Georgian military tried to retake control of South Ossetia. Russia said it had to protect its citizens in South Ossetia. Moscow has recognized independence for South Ossetia and Abkhazia, angering the United States and European Union.