EU leaders “strongly condemned” Russia’s recognition of Georgia’s two breakaway regions and called on other states not to do the same.

In conclusions released after the meeting in Brussels on September 1, the EU leaders said they were “gravely concerned” by the conflict between Georgia and Russia.

It also says that the leaders were concerned by, as the document puts it, “the disproportionate reaction of Russia.”

The term ‘disproportionate’ has been used extensively by western officials to describe Russia’s invasion of undisputed Georgian territories. A White House official said on August 21 that Russia’s reaction had become “disproportionate” after its forces “moved out of South Ossetia, out of Abkhazia, and into what is considered undisputed Georgian territory.”

The EU leaders also said that they were “pleased” that the six-point ceasefire accord, brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, between Russia and Georgia had led to a ceasefire, “improved delivery of humanitarian aid to the victims, and a substantial withdrawal of Russian military forces.”

The EU leaders, however, added: “The implementation of that plan has to be complete.”

They warned that the EU would break off talks with Russia on a Partnership Agreement, unless Russian troops were withdrawn to positions held prior to August 7, as envisaged by the six-point agreement.

President Sarkozy; José Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission; and Javier Solana, the EU foreign policy chief, will visit Moscow on September 8. Afterwards, they will travel to Tbilisi.

The EU also said it was ready to participate in international monitoring mechanisms “so as to replace the additional Russian security measures in the zone adjacent to South Ossetia.”

“To that end, the Member States of the European Union are making a significant contribution to strengthening the OSCE observer mission in South Ossetia, by sending observers and by making substantial material and financial contributions,” the conclusions of the summit reads. “The European Union has also decided on the immediate dispatch of a fact-finding mission with the task of helping to gather information and defining the modalities for an increased European Union commitment on the ground, under the European Security and Defence Policy.”

In respect of Georgia, the document also says that the EU has decided to step up its relations with Georgia, including visa facilitation measures and the possible establishment of a comprehensive free trade arrangement “as soon as the conditions are met.”

The EU also committed itself to provide aid for the reconstruction of Georgia after the armed conflict and said it planned an international conference on the matter.