(TBILISI) - European Union peace observers in Georgia resumed patrols on Thursday and were allowed to cross Russian checkpoints into "buffer zones" around two separatist regions, a mission spokesman said.

The "observers began patrolling this morning," the spokesman told AFP on the second day of the European Union Monitoring Mission, adding that Russian forces had still not dismantled blockades around the buffer zones.

"We remain in contact with the Russian military authorities who have issued the order for the blockade to be dismantled, but no exact timetable," the spokesman added, speaking on condition of anonymity.

In a sign of the EU mission's access, observers were allowed into the zone around Abkhazia, one of two Moscow-backed rebel regions of Georgia along with South Ossetia, he said.

Wednesday's deployment of the mission of at least 200 personnel came nearly two months after the brief war when Russian forces repelled Georgia's attempt to regain control of South Ossetia.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says Moscow is committed to withdrawing its forces from the buffer zones by October 10, the date fixed in an EU-brokered ceasefire deal.

The EU observers -- who include French gendarmes and experts in security, human rights and judicial issues -- are to monitor the Russian pull-back and arrival of Georgian police officers in the zones.

Meanwhile, Georgian interior ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili said "all Russian barriers are still in place."

"They were supposed to give the EU observers dates of withdrawals, but they have still not done so," he told AFP.

An estimated 800 Russian troops remain in Georgia outside its two separatist territories, with 10 encampments in the buffer zone around Abkhazia and eight around South Ossetia.

Asked in Moscow for a pull-back timetable, Russian defence department spokesman Yury Ivanov said he was "not able to provide this information at this time" because of the ongoing discussions with the European mission.

EU foreign affairs chief Javier Solana said Wednesday that the observer mission had "started very well," noting "observers are deployed even in the security zone" near Abkhazia and the South Ossetia.

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