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US vows to stand by Georgia
By Isabel Gorst in Tbilisi
July 23 2009
Joe Biden, US vice-president, received a rapturous welcome in Georgia on Thursday as he pledged continuing support for Washingtons troubled ally in the South Caucasus.
We, the United States, stand by you on your journey to a free, democratic and once again united Georgia, Mr Biden said in an address to parliament.
Tbilisi had been concerned that Barack Obamas administration might modify support for Georgia to avoid jeopardising its attempts to improve US relations with Russia.
But speaking two weeks ahead of the first anniversary of the Russia-Georgia war, Mr Biden said efforts to reset US relations with Russia would not come at the expense of Georgia. They have not, they will not and they cannot, he told parliamentarians to loud applause.
Russia recognised Georgias breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as sovereign states after the war and deployed thousands of troops in the areas in a move that drew international condemnations.
Mr Biden slammed Russias occupation of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, saying 19th century spheres of influence had no place in the modern world. He said the US fully supported Georgias aspirations to join Nato, despite Russias resentment of Natos encroachment close to its borders.
The US visit to Georgia came as tensions rise between Moscow and Tbilisi in the run-up to the anniversary of the war.
On Thursday Grigory Karasin, Russias deputy foreign affairs minister, said Moscow was deeply worried by Georgias moves to remilitarise and would penalise countries supplying it with Soviet-designed weaponry.
Mr Biden welcomed Georgias strategic role as a transit route for oil and gas resources flowing from east to west and its participation in the war on terror in Afghanistan where Georgian troops are fighting alongside US marines.
But he said there was much to be done to deepen democracy in Georgia and create a transparent and participatory government where issues are decided in parliament and not on the street.
Urging Georgia to keep the door open to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, he said that democracy required the participation of every Georgian citizen regardless of political affiliation or ethnicity.
Irakli Alasania, Georgias former representative at the United Nations who now leads the Our Georgia-Free Democracy opposition party, said he hoped Mr Bidens visit would press the reset button on democracy in US-Georgia relations signalling the start of more vocal US criticism of Georgias political shortcomings.
Tbilisi was decked out with US and Georgian flags to greet Mr Biden who attended a welcome banquet and concert at the new presidential palace after arriving in the city on Wednesday night.
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