Washington sends envoy to South Ossetia: State Dept

WASHINGTON - The United States is sending an envoy to South Ossetia to join international mediation efforts and called for an immediate ceasefire in the breakaway Georgian territory, State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said Friday.

"We support Georgia's territorial integrity and call for an immediate ceasefire," Gallegos said.

"We are today sending an envoy to the region to engage with the parties to the conflict," Gallegos told reporters.

"We urge all the parties, including Georgians, South Ossetians and Russians, to de-escalate and avoid conflict. We are working on mediation efforts to secure a ceasefire."

He also said that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other top US officials had spoken with parties involved with the fighting in South Ossetia, and that they are continuing to try to bring about an end to the hostilities that erupted earlier this week.

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