France which is currently holding revolving presidency of European Union (EU) has asked member states for an emergency meeting on September 1. The meeting aims to discuss the crisis in Georgia. The venue of the meeting would be Brussels. A statement released from President's office in France tells that the meeting would determine EU-Russia relations in post-Georgia crisis.

 

Earlier, on Sunday Sarkozy had called Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and had asked him to withdraw his forces from a road that links Poti to inland Senaki in western Georgia. Later on French President was assured for an international mechanism to monitor peace in Georgia. Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov has already confirmed about complete withdrawal of Russian forces from Georgia.

 

However, the major concern of France and other EU member states is there has not been total withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgia, and it still controls access to the key port of Poti. Also, rebel region of Abkhazia is backed by Russian forces. Russia has erected checkpoints around South Ossetia, which is a major contentious issue between EU and Russia.