Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has signed a ceasefire agreement with Russia.

The deal could bring to a halt the ongoing conflict over the breakaway region of South Ossetia.

"Today I signed the ceasefire agreement," Saakashvili confirmed in Tbilisi, flanked by visting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Rice used her visit to the Georgian capital to demand Russia withdraw all of its troops from the country.

"Our most urgent task today is the immediate and orderly withdrawal of Russian armed forces and the return of those forces to Russia," she said.

Russian troops this week pushed out of the breakaway region and into Georgia after Georgian forces withdrew under heavy fighting.

Russian troops made it as far as Gori 15 miles from South Ossetia,

A Russian military convoy later advanced to within 30 miles of Tbilisi, according to a witness - the closest troops have come to the Georgian capital.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy welcomed the ceasefire and said the way was clear for a UN Security Council resolution to end the crisis.

The French leader helped broker the deal in his role as head of the EU's rotating presidency.

"The conditions are now in place for the rapid adoption of a resolution by the Security Council," he said.

Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council, has the power to veto any resolution.

Russia invaded its neighbour last week after fighting broke out between Georgia and pro-Russian separatists in South Ossetia.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has warned Russia will use force if it is provoked again.

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