The panel's objective would be to inquire into the origin and progression of the August conflict with an eye toward international and human rights laws, the EU Observer reported.

The draft also dictates that the "geographic and temporal scope of the inquiry must be sufficiently large to determine all the possible causes," a diplomat familiar with the text told the Observer.

The international committee would be led by Swiss diplomat Heidi Tagliavini. The proposed mandate asks the committee to present a final report to the European Union, the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Russia and Georgia in November 2009.

The EU is expected to adopt the mandate in late November or early December.

"We want to make sure it is seen as an independent inquiry," even though it will be financed by the European Union, a diplomat from one of the Nordic EU states said.

Russia and Georgian officials said they welcome the initiative.