Georgian president has addressed multiethnic Georgian society, ethnic Russians, Ossetians, Jews and other people residing in the Tskhinvali conflict region regarding the recent fightings in the region. Saakashvili said the separate provocations, killings, assaults and other methods of violence have now taken larger scales and now whole population and Georgian police units were subjected to intensive fire and shelling.

Saakashvili said the sniper war was underway and, despite victims and numerous injured soldiers in Georgian army, he made a very painful decision on ceasing fire as another attempt to convince the separatists on talks. He said he made the decision intentionally.

President said he was promising immunity and amnesty towards any gunmen who would facilitate peace process. To the people of South Ossetia he reiterated his readiness to provide largest European autonomy and to Russia, he offered to be the key guarantor of this autonomy.