Georgia to turn to EU in face of Russian 'pressure': president

Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili said on Sunday his country would seek closer ties with the European Union in the face of pressure from Russia, amid worsening relations between the two countries.

Politicians in Russia "must know that Georgia will deepen its cooperation with its European partners," Saakashvili told a joint press conference here with his Croatian counterpart Stipe Mesic, who was on a two-day visit.

"Western democracy will not abandon Georgia in the context of pressure by Russia," he added.

Mesic said Croatia was ready to share with Georgia its experience of state reform and to help it address "economic problems" and "questions of European integration." Croatia is in talks to join the EU, which it hopes to do by 2009.

Relations between the former Soviet state of Georgia and neighbouring Russia have soured recently.

Russia last month provoked a furious reaction from Georgia when it banned imports of a brand of Georgian mineral water, saying it did not meet Russian hygiene standards.

The ban threatened further to inflame trade and political relations between Moscow and Tbilisi after Russia had also banned certain Georgian wines which it said contained pesticides.

Also in April, Saakashvili lashed out at Russia, alleging that a prospective hike in electricity tariffs resulting from an increase in the price of Russian gas exports represented a bid by Russia to "inflict suffering" on Georgians.