Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Sunday Georgia must withdraw all its troops from the breakaway region of South Ossetia and a legally binding agreement on the non-use of force must be signed to normalize the situation there, the Kremlin press service said.

A Russian soldier walks past destroyed Georgian tanks in the South Ossetian capital of Tshinvali, Aug. 10, 2008. Russian troops took most of the capital of the separatist Georgian region of South Ossetia on Sunday after a three-day battle but the United States condemned Moscow's "dangerous and disproportionate" action. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

During his telephone conversation with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, "Medvedev expressed his opinion of the tragic events in South Ossetia resulting from the large-scale aggressive armed actions unleashed by the Georgian leadership," the Kremlin said.

Medvedev said the withdrawal of all Georgian armed forces from South Ossetia must be guaranteed and a legally binding agreement must be signed between Georgia and South Ossetia on the non-use offorce.

He also indicated that Georgia should take all these steps without any preliminary conditions, the Kremlin said.

A corresponding understanding was reached during the conversation between Medvedev and Sarkozy, whose country now holds the EU presidency, the Kremlin said, adding that Sarkozy will arrive in Moscow early next week to discuss the situation in the conflict zone.

Meanwhile, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said in a televised address on Sunday Georgian authorities are maintaining contacts with the Russian side.

He said he has held several telephone conversations with the French president, and was also in contact with the "US president, vice president and state secretary, the heads of other leading countries."

Saakashvili added that the "Georgian authorities are doing all the necessary for ensuring security and the protection of the country's independence."

On Friday, Georgian troops began a military action against South Ossetia's forces in an attempt to re-establish control over the region. In response, Russian troops moved into the region to fight the Georgian forces.

Russia has said the two-day conflict has killed 1,500 people and the death toll is expected to rise.

Georgian soldiers sit on a tank moving near the town of Tskhinvali, some 100 km (62 miles) from Tbilisi, Aug. 10, 2008. Georgia has withdrawn its forces from breakaway South Ossetia, where they had been fighting Russian troops for control, the Georgian interior ministry said on Sunday. But the Russian army said Georgian forces were still there. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

(Xinhua News Agency August 11, 2008)