Georgian troops in Afghanistan will play a major role in the world's victory over terrorism, U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke said on Monday, during a visit to the South Caucasus state.
Holbrooke arrived to Georgia on Sunday, following his trip to four Central Asian states, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, aimed at addressing regional concerns over Afghanistan.
In Georgia, the U.S. official met with President Mikheil Saakashvili, and visited the Krtsanisi National Training Center outside the capital, Tbilisi, where he observed military exercises of the Georgian troops intended to be sent to Afghanistan.
Holbrooke expressed gratitude to the Georgian leader for his decision to send soldiers to the war-torn Central Asian state. He said Georgia's presence in Afghanistan would help establish order in the county and contribute to the international fight against terrorism.
The U.S. envoy said it was a hard decision for such a small country to send its troops to Afghanistan and praised the Georgian brave national character.
Holbrooke also promised to tell U.S. President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Joseph Biden, described by the U.S. official as a "friend" of the Georgian nation, about Georgia's efforts in a fight against terrorism.
Saakashvili said in his turn Georgia's participation in Afghan military operations would be a very difficult but important mission.
He said not only the fate of the world, ISAF member states and Afghanistan depended on the success of the Afghan mission, but Georgia's fate as well.
Earlier on Monday, Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Nino Kalandadze said Holbrooke's visit was yet another proof of fruitful cooperation between Tbilisi and Washington.
Georgia has deployed 175 servicemen in the south Central Asian country and plans to send an additional battalion in the spring, which will make Georgia the largest per capita contributor to the Afghan mission.
Central Asia and Russia's role in assisting NATO operations in Afghanistan has grown over the past year with an opening of an overland route for NATO military transit to Afghanistan via Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Saakashvili has offered the United States to supply arms to Afghanistan via the Georgian territory.
Holbrooke said ahead of his visit to Georgia that his trip "had nothing to do with Georgian-Russian relations" and was "about Georgia's extraordinarily important contribution to the international effort in Afghanistan."
The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and a separate U.S.-led coalition, involved in Operation Enduring Freedom, have more than 110,000 troops in Afghanistan.
U.S. President Barack Obama said in December 2009 the U.S. would send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan in the first part of 2010 to defeat the Taliban and establish law and order. Other NATO members have also pledged to send 7,000 additional troops to Afghanistan.
TBILISI, February 22 (RIA Novosti)
