The Big Story: Georgian president accepts ceasefire plan

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Georgia’s president said early Wednesday that he agreed to the “general principals” of a plan for ending fighting with Russian troops in his country.

The cease-fire plan brokered by President Nicolas Sarkozy of France calls for both Russian and Georgian troops to return to their positions before fighting erupted around the breakaway province of South Ossetia last week.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed to the proposal in a meeting with Sarkozy in Moscow. The French leader then traveled to Tbilisi where he spent several hours ironing it out with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili.

Saakashvili emerged afterward and told reporters early Wednesday that “there should be a cease-fire.” He said he agreed to the “general principles” of the deal.

Sarkozy, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, said the EU could send peacekeepers to Georgia if all parties agreed to the plan.