From correspondents in Brussels, Belgium, 08:02 PM IST

European Union (EU) foreign ministers Monday approved sending observers to Russian-occupied parts of Georgia, diplomats confirmed.

The mission of at least 200 civilian observers will deploy in the so-called 'buffer zones' along Georgia's internal borders with the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia before Oct 1.

Under a deal between Russia and Georgia brokered last week by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the current holder of the EU's rotating presidency, Russia will only end its current occupation of the buffer zone if the EU sends in sufficient ceasefire observers to replace them.

Diplomats say that 11 countries - the Baltic states, Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and Sweden - have already pledged support for the EU mission. The largest contingents are expected to be from France, Germany and Italy.

However, questions remain as to whether the EU mission will also deploy to the breakaway regions, which are currently occupied by the Russian army and which Moscow has recognised as independent states.

'The first commitment is to deploy the 200 observers before Oct 1. It will be done in time ... After that, we will see how the situation evolves,' EU foreign-policy chief Javier Solana said.

The EU fiercely criticized Russia's decision to recognise the two Georgian regions and vowed that it would not follow suit. Ahead of Monday's meeting, EU diplomats said that the observation mission should be mandated to cover 'all of Georgia', including the rebel zones.

But Russia retorted that it was up to Abkhazia and South Ossetia themselves to decide who should send observers onto their territory, and accused the EU of being 'unscrupulous' in saying that they could send observers there.

That has led some EU member states to warn that any insistence on extending the mission could simply antagonise Russia.

'We need the agreement of all sides involved, because we do not want to act as an occupying force,' Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini pointed out.

Russia Sunday completed the withdrawal of its troops from western Georgia, including the strategically important Black Sea port of Poti, in accordance with the EU-brokered deal.

And it began talks with Georgia on allowing up to 80 extra observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) into the separatist areas, raising the total figure to about 100.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)