MOSCOW, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy agreed Tuesday on six principles for ending the hostilities in the Georgian breakaway region of South Ossetia.

    Among the six principles, the first is not to resort to the use of force, the second is to stop all military action, the third is free access to humanitarian aid, and the fourth is Georgian armed forces should return to their bases, the RIA Novosti news agency quoted Medvedev as saying.

    The Russian military should also pull back to its positions prior to combat, and initiate international discussions on the future status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and on ways to ensure their security.