The European Parliament has adopted a resolution advising Russia to withdraw its troops from Georgia under a ceasefire agreement.

The resolution also urges Russia to reduce its peacekeeping presence in the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

The resolution was supported by 549 MPs, with 68 opposed and 61 abstaining, RIA Novosti , reported.

The Russian-Georgian conflict led to a brief war after Tbilisi launched an attack in early August which was aimed at bringing South Ossetia back under its control. Russia's response to "force Georgia to peace" was criticized internationally as having been excessive, and the subsequent decision to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia was also condemned as being "irresponsible".

Meanwhile, lawmakers backed the EU summit's resolution on Monday which urged respect for Georgia's territorial integrity and threatened a delay in partnership talks with Russia if it failed to withdraw from Georgia completely.

However, the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev expressed his regret in a telephone conversation with the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, earlier on Wednesday. He was especially regretful over the European leaders' failure to condemn Georgia's aggression in South Ossetia.

"Russia highlighted the constructive role of France as EU president in the generally balanced resolution, but expressed regret that the document did not contain an acknowledgement of Georgia's aggressive actions as the primary cause of the crisis around South Ossetia and Abkhazia," the Kremlin press office quoted the president as saying.

SM/RE