Russia supports the position of Georgia's breakaway South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions in talks on their future status, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Thursday.

Eduard Kokoity and Sergei Bagapsh, self-styled presidents of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, flew to Moscow Thursday on an unannounced visit to seek Kremlin support as diplomatic efforts proceeded to end the week-old conflict.

Medvedev, speaking after the two leaders signed a six-point plan brokered this week by France to end hostilities, said Moscow fully supported their position.

"Please be aware that Russia's position is unchanged. We will support any decisions taken by the peoples of South Ossetia and Abkhazia... and not only do we support (them) but we will guarantee them both in the Caucasus and throughout the world," Medvedev was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili agreed this week to a peace plan proposed by their French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy to end fighting in South Ossetia.

Saakashvili later removed references to discussions on the future status of the two breakaway regions - the sixth point. Russia said it had no objections.

"You know when we talk about the sixth point - the point about the status - I want you to know and to tell the peoples of South Ossetia and Abkhazia that Russia's position is unchanged," Medvedev said.

"Some time ago the president of France and I agreed on the principles setting out a settlement of the matter. ... These principles form the basis that we can use to continue our work."

Medvedev said a legally-binding agreement on the non-use of force in the conflict zone should be signed by all parties under guarantees from Russia, the EU and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Russian tanks 'in port town'

Russian tanks rolled into the Georgian port town of Poti Thursday, accompanying trucks carrying troops to the port, witnesses said, but Russia denied its forces were there.

"Just a few minutes ago they (Russians) entered Poti in tanks," a Poti shipping agent, Nikoloz Gogoli, said by telephone at about 0900 GMT. "Some of the guys have blue signs, badges, which means they should be peacekeepers."

Asked about the reports, Russia's deputy chief of the general staff, Anatoly Nogovitsyn, said: "There are no Russian armor or troops in the city of Poti now."

Gogoli said the tanks did not enter the port and were moving in the direction of an old military base.