Russia Wednesday vowed to give European Union monitors full access to Russian-controlled buffer zones around two rebel regions of Georgia, Interfax news agency reported, citing the Defense Ministry.
"Russia is not going to impose any major bans or restrictions or establish closed zones and areas," Interfax quoted a ministry spokesman as saying.
The comments came after a spokesman for Russian forces in South Ossetia on Monday was quoted by Interfax as saying the monitors would only be allowed to patrol "up to the southern limit of the security zone" of that region.
E.U. observers Wednesday were seen entering the buffer zone of South Ossetia as they officially began a mission sanctioned under a European-brokered peace plan to end a five-day war between Russian and Georgia in August.
Under the peace deal, the European mission was also permitted to enter a buffer zone around the other rebel region of Abkhazia.