Tbilisi/Moscow, Oct 5, SPA -- Members of the European Union observermission in Georgia reported Sunday that a Russian checkpoint north-west of the Georgian city of Gori was removed five days ahead of anagreed deadline, reported dpa. According to a spokeswoman for the mission, the European Union isassuming that the Russian army will leave its security zones aroundthe breakaway republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia by October 10. After that time, the EU mission will enter these "buffer zones." German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier welcomed thebeginning of the Russian pullout, saying "that is a positive initialstep, that must be followed by others." In a statement released in Berlin, he added that "for thestabilization of the Caucasus and the upcoming talks in Geneva, it isimportant that the Russian withdrawal from the buffer zones aroundSouth Ossetia and Abkhazia is concluded quickly and in due time." The broader issue of Georgia's long-term security is due to beaddressed at a peace conference in Geneva scheduled for October 15.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/595365