Russia working toward Georgian cease-fire

TBILISI, Georgia, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- Russia has agreed to a basic framework for a cease-fire agreement in Georgia, the Kremlin said Saturday.

The six-point agreement was immediately signed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, but did not offer specifics regarding a controversial provision previously cited by Georgian officials, The New York Times reported.

Earlier Saturday, Russian troops cut Georgia's east-west railway line by taking down a bridge in the Kaspi district, the Georgian Foreign Ministry said. The line connects Tbilisi to ports on the Black Sea, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Russian troops from Gori set up a position 14 miles closer to the capital.

Georgian officials said they suspected the cease-fire provision in question would allow Russia to justify maintaining a military force in Georgia following a proposed military withdrawal.

The cease-fire agreement was negotiated by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and includes a demand that Russian troops exit Georgia immediately.

Russia's movement toward a finalized cease-fire agreement came a day after U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Georgia to call for a Russian military withdrawal.