Georgian troops attack separatist forces in South Ossetia [Reuters]

Condoleezza Rice, US secretary of state

"The United States calls for an immediate ceasefire to the armed conflict in Georgia's region of South Ossetia. We call on Russia to cease attacks on Georgia by aircraft and missiles, respect Georgia's territorial integrity, and withdraw its ground combat forces from Georgian soil."

Javier Solana, European Union foreign policy chief

"I am deeply concerned over the dramatic situation in Georgia and I deplore the loss of human lives and the suffering inflicted on the civilian population. I spoke with Sergei Lavrov [Russian foreign minister] and Eka Tkeshelashvili [Georgian foreign minister] and called on both to spare no efforts to obtain an immediate ceasefire.

"We will continue to work relentlessly with the parties and the international community, in particular the OSCE, to help find a peaceful way out of the crisis."

International Crisis Group

"There is a real danger that the conflict will expand beyond South Ossetia to Abkhazia and other parts of Georgia.

"It is particularly important that humanitarian assistance be immediately provided to the 75,000 civilians living in South Ossetia.

"Authorities need to ensure that there is full access to water,  food and medical services.

"Persons who wish to evacuate should be allowed free passage, but no forced displacements should occur."

Paul Saunders, executive director of the Nixon Centre

"I think President Saakashvili profoundly miscalculated the support that he had from the United States and the West. He's obviously received some diplomatic support from the United States and from European countries.

"But Saakashvili and Georgia are going to be really very hard pressed to use that diplomatic support to change the facts on the ground. And the facts on the ground are that the Russian troops are moving into South Ossetia. Russian forces are much more capable than Georgian forces.

"It seems unlikely that the Georgian military will be able to keep Russia from securing control of the whole of South Ossetia. If that happens, I think that Mr Saakashvili may well be quite embarrassed.

"The prospects for the United Nations contributing in a meaningful way are quite poor.

"Russia will probably succeed  ... and consolidating control over South Ossetia and hopefully at that point Moscow will stop but then Moscow will control the region."

Aleksandr Pikayev, from the Committee of Scientists for Global Security

"This is very serious for Russia because South Ossetians are an ethnic group which is split between Russia and Georgia, and there are many other groups in the region which want Russia to protect the South Ossetians.

"The Kremlin is under enormous pressure to begin military operations to protect South Ossetian civilians from Georgian shelling. And as you can see, the city of Tskhinvali was completely devastated as a result of this Georgian attack.

"The Kremlin had to react and they didn't have any other options because if the Kremlin were to lose its eyes to the conflict and the unfolding humanitarian disaster, there might be an uprising against Russia in the Caucasus and Russian territorial integrity would be at stake."

Heikki Talvitie, Organisation for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) envoy to Tbilisi

"Let's hope that this will be a limited incident, but there are dangers of this escalating. That is why it is immensely important that OSCE, EU, US try to influence the parties, Georgians and Russians, to hold a ceasefire."

France

"Foreign and European affairs minister, Bernard Kouchner, is extremely preoccupied by the events in South Ossetia, Georgia. He deplores the loss of human life. France reiterates its attachment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia in its internationally recognised borders.

"France calls on all parties to cease hostilities immediately and return to without delay to negotiations, which are the only way to resolve this crisis."

Frank-Walter Steinmeier, German foreign minister

"I am shocked by the escalation of violence in South Ossetia in the last 48 hours. It is still unclear who is responsible for the new outbreak of violence.

"All combat operations must be stopped and all the forces that have been led to South Ossetia in the last 48 hours must be pulled back.

"I have expressed that opinion to Georgian President Saakashvili and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov on the phone."

Thomas Steg, German government spokesman

"Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged the conflict parties in South Ossetia to show calm and restraint and called for an immediate stop to all use of force."

Spokesman for Gordon Brown, British prime minister

"We are urging an immediate ceasefire to the fighting in South Ossetia and calling for a resumption of direct dialogue between the parties."

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato)

"The Nato secretary-general (Jaap de Hoop Scheffer) calls on all sides for an immediate end of the armed clashes and calls for direct talks between the parties."

Xinhua, Chinese state media

"The eighth of August 2008 was a sacred day.

"With the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games, the world has entered an Olympic period ... During these special days, the outbreak of armed clashes in South Ossetia is something the world's people do not wish to see.

"A ceasefire can give people the chance to reflect on the massive carnage brought by war.

"We hope the various parties in the South Ossetia dispute exercise calm and restraint and solve their differences through negotiations and not force."

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