A senior US envoy to Georgia said today the Caucasus nation would lift a state of emergency soon.
Mr Matthew Bryza, deputy assistant secretary of state for European affairs, said: "It seems from my conversation with the speaker that the state of emergency will be lifted in two or three days. I think on the 16th," he said.
Mr Matthew Bryza, deputy assistant secretary of state for European affairs
Georgia's opposition yesterday named a wealthy winemaker to run against President Mikhail Saakashvili in January's snap election amid signs that its unity is already under severe strain.
Levan Gachechiladze was chosen to take on Mr Saakashvili in a ballot that the president called after the 10-party opposition brought up to 70,000 people on to the streets of the capital, Tbilisi, to demand elections and an end to poverty and corruption.
Mr Saakashvili who has followed a strongly pro-US foreign policy has blamed Russia for allegedly manipulating the Georgian opposition to stir unrest against him.
Moscow has denied involvement and said Mr Saakashvili was seeking to distract attention from his own failings.
Mr Bryza said he would be very surprised if there had been a real threat from Russia to destabilise Georgia.