Russia wants to sign ceasefire deal: Sarkozy

PARIS: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has told French President Nicolas Sarkozy by telephone that he intends to sign the same agreement for a ceasefire in the Caucasus conflict that Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has already inked.

Sarkozy's office announced Medvedev's verbal agreement to the ceasefire overnight Friday.

Sarkozy spent much of the last week trying to broker a truce in the war that started Aug 7 over the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia. France currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union.

In his latest direct communication with Sarkozy, Medvedev offered assurances that Russia would strictly abide by all commitments under the six-point peace deal, including the withdrawal of Russian military forces.

Saakashvili already signed the agreement on Friday.