독일의 앙겔라 메르켈 총리와 러시아의 드미트리 메드베데프 대통령이 러시아 상트 페테르부르크에서 만나 그루지아 문제와 다른 현안들을 논의하고 있습니다.

오늘 정상회담은 유럽연합이 프랑스가 중재한 평화안에 따라 그루지아에 민간인 감시단을 파견한 지 하루만에 이뤄진 겁니다.

독일의 메르켈 총리는 러시아가 지난 8월 그루지아를 침공한 데 대해 비판적인 입장을 보이면서도, 러시아측과 대화 통로를 유지해 왔습니다. 

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev are meeting in St. Petersburg for talks on the recent crisis in Georgia and other issues.

Today's (Thursday's) talks come one day after the European Union began deploying civilian monitors in Georgia in accordance with a French-brokered peace deal.

The conflict in Georgia could add tension to what has been a strong relationship between Germany and Russia. Chancellor Merkel had been critical of Russia's incursion into Georgia in August, but she also pressed to keep the lines of communication open with Moscow.

On Wednesday, the 200-plus member EU peacekeeping team entered the Russian-declared buffer zone around South Ossetia at several points. Russia has agreed to withdraw all its forces from South Ossetia, as well as those near a second breakaway territory, Abkhazia, by October 10th.

Officials say today's meeting will also include discussions on the global financial crisis.