Russia says Georgia pullout complete, U.S. disagrees

By Margarita Antidze

GORI, Georgia (Reuters) - Russia said on Friday it had completed its pullout of troops from Georgia proper, but the White House swiftly rejected Moscow's claim that it was now in compliance with a French-brokered ceasefire.

Russia said it had left peacekeepers manning checkpoints inside Georgia, stoking Western fears that Moscow aims to keep a stranglehold on the ex-Soviet republic's economy and to annex additional territory to breakaway South Ossetia by stealth.

Earlier, Reuters reporters saw convoys of tanks and trucks heading northwards into rebel-held parts of Georgia.

There was no sign of Russian forces moving on into Russia from South Ossetia, underlining Tbilisi's concern that Moscow plans to maintain a large military presence in that province.

"The pullout was carried out without any incidents and was completed according to plan at 19:50 Moscow time (1550 GMT)," the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement.

"Peacekeeping checkpoints in the security zone (inside Georgia) have started carrying out the tasks set before them. In this way, the Russian side has implemented the agreements set out (by the presidents of Russia and France)," it said.

Washington said the pullout remained unsatisfactory.

"It is my understanding that they have not completely withdrawn from areas considered undisputed territory and they need to do that," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe told reporters in Texas, where U.S. President George W. Bush was on a two-week working holiday.