BRUSSELS, August 10 (RIA Novosti) - Foreign ministers from the EU's 27 member states will gather for an emergency meeting early next week to discuss measures to help settle the conflict in South Ossetia, EU diplomatic sources said on Sunday.

Georgia launched a major ground and air offensive to seize control of South Ossetia on Friday, prompting Russia to send in tanks and hundreds of troops. Georgia imposed martial law on Saturday after Russian warplanes began bombarding military bases.

South Ossetia's capital Tskhinvali has been largely destroyed, and around 2,000 civilians have died according to local and Russian officials. Around 34,000 South Ossetians have fled across the Russian border.

The emergency meeting of EU diplomats, proposed by France, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, is due to be held on August 13 in Brussels, EU diplomatic sources said.

France earlier urged the conflicting sides to immediately end armed hostilities and start negotiations to find a political solution, and called on Russia to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia.