September 05, 2008	Friday	Ramazan 04, 1429

TBILISI, Sept 4: US Vice-President Dick Cheney on Thursday cast doubt on Russia’s reliability as an international partner, accusing it of invading Georgia, as he visited Tbilisi in a show of support for the pro-Western government.

Following talks with President Mikheil Saakashvili, Mr Cheney, the highest-level US official to visit the region since the five-day war last month, said Russia was seeking to redraw Georgia’s borders by force.

He pledged US help for Georgia on top of a one billion dollar aid package announced on Wednesday.

“Russia’s actions have cast grave doubt on Russia’s intentions and on its reliability as an international partner, not just in Georgia but across this region and indeed across the international system,” he said speaking alongside Mr Saakashvili.

“After your nation won its freedom in the Rose Revolution, America came to the aid of this courageous young democracy,” said Mr Cheney, referring to the 2003 uprising that brought Mr Saakashvili to power.

“We are doing so again as you work to overcome an invasion of your sovereign territory and an illegitimate, unilateral attempt to change your country’s borders by force that has been universally condemned by the free world.”

Mr Cheney backed Georgia’s bid to join Nato, a move that has been vehemently opposed by Russia, saying Washington was “fully committed” to Georgia’s eventual membership.

“As the current members of Nato declared at a summit in Bucharest, Georgia will be in our alliance,” he said, referring to an April meeting of the Western military bloc.

Mr Cheney watched US aid workers unloading boxes of aid to Georgia to highlight the one-billion-dollar US package.

“My number one priority is to rebuild my country and send a message to the world that the light of freedom can never be extinguished in Georgia,” said Mr Saakashvili at the news conference.

The United States has taken a lead role supporting Georgia since hostilities erupted.

—AFP