WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States said Friday it was sending an envoy to Georgia to urge its pro-Western government to "immediately" lift emergency rule, remove curbs on the media and allow freedom of expression.
The remarks by State Department spokesman Sean McCormack, who had earlier called for the state of emergency to be lifted "in the near future," appeared to be part of a toughening of the US position.
"Our clear message is that the state of emergency should be lifted immediately, that the government should follow through on its promises and its decision to hold elections," McCormack told reporters.
Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili Thursday called snap presidential polls for January 5 and promised to soon lift emergency rule which he declared a day earlier amid clashes between security forces and anti-government protestors.
McCormack said earlier Friday that he welcomed the call for snap elections.
The government, McCormack said, should also "hold a dialogue on the prospect of parliamentary elections.
"Again, the same holds true in terms of the functioning of the independent media and allowing people to peacefully express themselves," he said.
"That's going to be Matt's message while he is there," he said after announcing that Matthew Bryza, deputy assistant secretary for European and Eurasian affairs, would travel to Georgia at the weekend.
McCormack said Bryza would probably meet with Saakashvili during a visit that could last until the middle of next week.
The head of Georgia's presidential administration said Friday that the state of emergency, which was imposed Wednesday, will be lifted "much sooner" than the November 22 deadline approved by parliament.
McCormack also reiterated Friday that the US government was "disappointed" with the state of emergency. He
He has also urged Georgia to create the right conditions for a free, fair and open vote.
The pro-Western leader has come under international fire since imposing a 15-day state of emergency after clashes in which police used rubber bullets and tear gas against demonstrators demanding Saakashvili's resignation.
But McCormack said he was not aware of any plan to review US aid to Georgia, unlike Pakistan, where Washington is studying whether to suspend aid following a declaration of emergency rule there Saturday by President Pervez Musharraf.
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