(AVIGNON) - EU foreign ministers on Saturday called for an international inquiry into the Russia-Georgia conflict and the rapid deployment of an EU observer mission to Georgia.

"We have all underscored the need for an international inquiry on the unfolding of the conflict in Georgia," said French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner after two days of talks with EU counterparts in southern France.

"This inquiry needs to be launched as soon as possible."

The unified stance strengthens the hand of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who travels to Moscow on Monday for talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. France currently holds the rotating EU presidency.

Kouchner said the inquiry -- championed by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier -- should be carried out by a body such as the United Nations or the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

The latter already has monitors on the ground in Georgia.

"The ideal situation would be to have a United Nations mandate," but that cannot be assured given that Russia, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has a power of veto, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said.

But if that cannot be the case, "the EU needs to be present," Bildt added.

Luxembourg's foreign minister Jean Asselborn said the 27 EU member states "would like to see an analysis by an international body to define the responsibility for the outbreak of the conflict."

The foreign ministers -- gathered for what normally would be an informal semi-annual brainstorming session -- also agreed on the need for an autonomous observer mission to be sent under the aegis of the EU's common security policy.

Sarkozy will attempt to persuade Moscow to withdraw its forces in Georgia to the positions they held before the conflict broke out on August 7, in line with an agreed peace plan.

But diplomats say Russia has indicated it will not move its troops until an international mission is in place.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana confirmed that preparations were underway and the mission should be officially endorsed by EU ministers on September 15.

But several EU officials admitted that Sarkozy's talks on Monday would determine the precise conditions for the deployment of the mission, expected to be around 150-strong.

Moscow's cooperation is vital for any such mission to be able to get into the breakaway Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, or the surrounding "buffer zones" which Russia controls, they said.

Despite cross-EU agreement on an international probe, there was still debate in Avignon on what questions it should tackle.

Kouchner spoke of investigating the "unfolding" of the crisis, but Asselborn stressed the need to examine who was responsible for its outbreak. Britain's David Miliband was more concerned about alleged human rights violations.

It was "absolutely essential that any allegation in respect of human rights abuse or cluster bombs, or any of the other allegations, are fully and independently investigated," Milliband said

Russian troops poured into Georgia last month to repel an attack by the Georgian army aimed at retaking South Ossetia. They have remained deep inside Georgian territory in what Moscow calls "security zones."

The EU has frozen partnership talks with Moscow until it withdraws its troops in line with the six-point peace plan, and has announced a wide-ranging review of its relations with Russia in light of the Georgia crisis.

Foreign Ministers' Meeting - Gymnich

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