Washington: The United States announced a one-billion-dollar aid package to help Georgia recover from its war with Russia over the pro-Moscow breakaway region of South Ossetia.

The announcement, which did not include any military assistance, came as US Vice President Dick Cheney opened a trip to Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine in a show of support for the former Soviet republics after Moscow s onslaught.

"With our full support and the support of the entire free world, a democratic Georgia will survive, will rebuild and will thrive," US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said as she announced the package.

US President George W Bush will work with US lawmakers, who may have to approve the funds, to free up to 570 million dollars for Tbilisi by the end of 2008,with the remaining 430 million coming later, she said.

"We envision a multi year commitment which will begin now, under president Bush and we believe strongly it will endure in the next administration," which begins in late January, Rice said.

The US aid comes on top of about 30 million dollars in emergency humanitarian aid since the conflict began in early August and on the heels of European pledges totalling about 21.7 million dollars).

The European Union also plans an international donors conference for Georgia.

And the International Monetary Fund announced yesterday it had tentatively agreed to provide Georgia with a 750 million dollar financial package aimed at shoring up investor confidence in the war-battered country.
Source : PTI