The United States hasgiven its backing to the new government in Georgia with an offer of support for the interim president and recognition of the ¿difficult¿ decision by President Eduard Shevardnadze to resign and restore stability.
Shevardnadze, 75, stepped down, ending an 11-year-rule after weeks of protests and relentless pressure by theopposition who accused him of rigging this month'sparliamentary election.
US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said last night the people of Georgia had heard the call of opposition leaderMikhail Saakashvili to move to a new stage in Georgian politicsand that the United States was committed to helping them emergefrom their political crisis.
'We look forward to working with Interim President (Nino)Burdzhanadze in her effort to maintain the integrity of Georgia'sdemocracy as she strives to ensure that this change in governmentfollows the constitution,' Boucher said in a statement.
'The United States and the international community standready to support the new government in holding free and fairparliamentary elections in the future,' the statementsaid.
Boucher said US Secretary of State Colin Powell hadcalled Burdzhanadze to offer Washington's support and toencourage her and her colleagues to proceed in a mannerconsistent with Georgia's constitution.
Powell had also spoken to Shevardnadze and thanked him forhis role in resolving the crisis peacefully, Boucher said.
'We know that President Shevardnadze's decision wasdifficult, but that he made his decision in the best interestsof the people of Georgia,' Boucher said.
He paid tribute to Shevardnadze for guiding Georgiathrough a difficult post-Soviet period.'Because of his contributions, millions of people living inthe former Soviet Union are free today to pursue their owndreams in states committed to political and economic reform,'Boucher said.