MOSCOW, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Russia has started closing military observation posts in buffer zones near Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, local media reported on Tuesday.

    "In line with reached agreements and the Russian president's instruction, the Defense Ministry has started closing observation posts in zones adjacent to South Ossetia and Abkhazia," RIA Novosti quoted sources in the Ministry as saying.

    In a new agreement reached on Monday between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy, Russia promised to pull out its troops from the buffer zone, but not from the two regions.

    Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier Tuesday that Russian troops will stay in Abkhazia and South Ossetia for a long time.

    Georgian troops launched a sudden attack against South Ossetia on early Aug. 8 to reclaim control over the Caucasus region, but were driven out of there by Russian forces.

    The military conflict was stopped on Aug. 12 with a France-brokered ceasefire pact in which Moscow promised to pull out its troops.

    Moscow recognized the two regions as independent states on Aug.26.