The United States congratulated Georgia today, on the eve of the inauguration of new president Giorgi Margvelashvili, paying respects to the country's outgoing leaders while urging political unity going forward.
Margvelashvili, a political novice, won a crushing election victory last month and is set to take over tomorrow in the country's first ever peaceful, democratic transfer of the presidency.
"The path to this day was marked by the contributions of many distinguished political leaders over the past twenty years," US President Barack Obama said in a statement, citing the outgoing president, who ruled since seizing power in 2003, and the outgoing prime minister, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, a close ally of the new president.
But Obama said he looks forward "to working with their successors to continue the strong and deep bonds that the United States and Georgia have enjoyed for over 20 years."
"As we mark this momentous political transition, I call on all of Georgia's political leaders to work together, and continue to work with civil society, to build on this achievement, he added.
Ivanishvili, whose coalition will retain control of the government, has labeled outgoing pro-Western president Mikheil Saakashvili a "political corpse," and warned that he could face prosecution.
Saakashvili has pledged not to quit Georgia but a close ally of the president told AFP on condition of anonymity that top US officials were encouraging him to travel to America -- at least temporarily.
