 Saakashvili called for negotiations "in any type of format," reaffirmed the offer of "unrestricted autonomy" for South Ossetia, proposed that Russia should become the guarantor of that solution, offered a general amnesty, and pleaded for international help to stop the hostilities.Ceasefire was announced after a skirmish that had killed up to ten Georgian peacekeepers and civilians, according to the Georgian authorities.Russia regarded the ceasefire as an attempt to buy time to deploy Georgian forces for an offensive.