Strasbourg, France - All sides in the conflict raging in Georgia should cease firing and open peace talks before it is too late, the head of the Council of Europe urged Friday.

"The human toll of the escalation of the conflict in Georgia continues to rise and the country is now on the edge of a full-scale war which would have devastating consequences for the people in the region," council Secretary General Terry Davis said in a statement.

"The first priority is an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. This should be followed by direct talks in order to find a peaceful and permanent solution," he said.

Beijing - Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday met two leading Taiwanese politicians in the latest sign of improving diplomatic ties across the Taiwan Strait.

Hu met separately with Lien Chan, the honorary chairman of Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang (KMT or Nationalist Party), and People First Party Chairman James Soong, both of whom were scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing later on Friday.

State media gave no details of any talks between Hu and Lien and Soong, and state media portrayed the meetings as "party to party" rather than diplomatic events.

Brussels - The European Union on Friday brought into force the latest round of UN sanctions on Iran in the dispute over its nuclear programme.

An announcement published in the EU's official journal ordered the bloc's 27 member states not to enter into new commitments for grants, financial assistance and concessional loans to the Iranian government, but to continuously monitor the dealings of their own banks with Iranian institutions, especially Bank Saderat.

It also mandated member states to inspect cargoes carried by Iran Air Cargo and the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line, as long as there are "reasonable grounds" for suspecting that they are carrying nuclear-related cargoes.

Washington  - The United States regrets the decision by Iraq's parliament to adjourn for a month without completing work on a provincial election law, a shortcoming the could delay balloting previously scheduled for October.

"We regret that the Iraqi parliament adjourned yesterday without finishing its work on a local elections law," State Department acting deputy spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said Thursday.

New York  - The UN mission in Iraq said Thursday it stands ready to help Baghdad's parliament complete a set of electoral laws after it failed to reach an agreement before adjourning for the summer.

Iraqi legislators and political parties did not agree on Wednesday on the law, which may affect the holding of provincial elections in October. The electoral law was aimed at consolidating gains in establishing stronger security through the electoral process.