Moscow, Aug 11, : Despite its withdrawal from South Ossetia, Georgia insists that Russia has continued air raids deep inside its territory, including its Capital Tbilisi and along its coastline. Moscow, on the other hand, rejected Tbilisi’s announcement that it had called a ceasefire and wanted talks.

Jets bombed targets near Tbilisi, including the airport, and Russia said its warships had sunk a Georgian boat that approached and tried to attack, the BBC reported.

The airport was hit only a few hours before French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb arrived on a peace mission.

Moscow/Tiblisi, Georgia  - The first western mediators in Tiblisi to work for an end to the conflict between Georgia and Russia late Sunday called for an immediate ceasefire by all parties.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, whose nation hold the rotating EU presidency, and Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), met with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.

The next step would be for all the wounded to be treated during a ceasefire, Kouchner said.

Moscow/Tbilisi - Russia on Sunday intensified airstrikes and a naval blockade against Georgia, as international diplomats sought ways to bring a ceasefire to the Caucasus province South Ossetia.

Three Russian air force Su-25 bombers struck an airfield adjacent to a military aircaft factory outside the Georgian capital Tbilisi shortly after dawn, causing damage but inflicting no casualties, a senior Georgian official said.

Moscow, Aug 10: Georgia has reportedly withdrawn its forces from the separatist region of South Ossetia to positions at or south of those held when conflict started earlier this week.

According to an Interior Ministry spokesman, Russian troops had not entered Georgia from South Ossetia, but fighting was continuing, as reported by BBC.

As many as 2,000 people may have been killed and 30,000 made homeless as the chaotic conflict between Georgian and Russian forces in the pro-Moscow enclave of South Ossetia entered its second bloody day on Saturday.

Beijing - China on Saturday called for a ceasefire in Georgia's South Ossetia region and expressed "serious concern" over the escalating conflict there.

"China is seriously concerned about the worsening situation and armed conflict in South Ossetia," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a statement posted on the ministry's website.

"We call on the relevant parties to keep restraint and cease fire immediately," Qin said.

Damascus - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is scheduled to pay a two-day visit