Obama assures Georgia's Saakashvili of U.S. support

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama, in a gesture of support before meeting his Russian counterpart later this week, assured Georgia on Tuesday the United States backed the pro-Western country's independence.

"The President relayed the strong support of the United States for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the White House said, describing a telephone conversation Obama held earlier with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.

Obama will meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday in Prague, where the two leaders will sign a nuclear arms reduction treaty.

Russia invaded Georgia in August 2008 after an assault by U.S.-trained Georgian military on the breakaway pro-Russian territory of South Ossetia.

Obama and Saakashvili "discussed the importance of all sides avoiding provocative actions to build stability in the region," the White House said in a statement.

U.S. naval forces exercised with the Georgian coastguard in the Black Sea last month and the Pentagon said on Friday it would build the military capabilities of Georgia, and Baltics states bordering Russia, to ready them for operations in Afghanistan. Georgia deploys troops to fight alongside U.S. Marines this month in Afghanistan's Helmand province.
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