US ex-presid candidate to meet Georgia president, opposition.

TBILISI, January 10 (Itar-Tass) - US ex-presidential candidate from
the Republican Party Senator John McCain together with another two
Republican Senators John Barrasso and John Tune is arriving in Georgia on
Sunday, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported.

The ministry says that the aim of the visit of the Republican Senators
with McCain in the head is to express the US first support to sovereignty
and territorial integrity of Georgia within the framework of
internationally recognised borders of the country. The document also says
that during meetings in Georgia McCain will discuss issues of the
development of strategic cooperation between Georgia and the United States.
According to the US embassy to Georgia, the American delegation on
Sunday will arrive in the Georgian city Batumi where on January 10-11 they
will hold meetings with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and leaders
of a number of opposition parties of Georgia. In particular, they are
expected to meet ex-speaker of the Georgian parliament Nino Burdzhanadze
(she is currently leader of the Democratic Movement - United Georgia
party), leader of the Republican Party David Usupashvili, former main
rival of Saakashvili at the January 2008 presidential election Levan
Gachechiladze and leader of the Christian Democratic Movement Party Georgy
Targamadze.
McCain has visited Georgia not once. In August 2006 Saakashvili handed
to McCain one of the highest wards of the country - The Saint George
Order. He was given this award for the considerable contribution to the
process of consolidation of Georgia's independence, strengthening of
freedom and democracy in the country.
-0-ezh