Russia saystroop pullout from Georgia's heartlands is complete - but Washington says it must withdraw further. - je 23.08.2008 08

Georgian troops are back in control of the country's main East-West highway following the withdrawal of Russian forces. Russia says it will permanently station what it calls "peacekeeping troops" inside Georgia to prevent new bloodshed. But Washington slammed the Kremlin over plans to keep a force in Georgia proper, calling that a violation of the ceasefire deal with Tbilisi. But reporters travelling on the main road linking the Georgian capital to the Black Sea coast saw no evidence early on Saturday of the checkpoints Moscow said it was already operating in buffer zones across the ex-Soviet state.