The United States is soon to send military trainers to Georgia to prepare the ex-Soviet country's soldiers for Afghanistan missions, Press TV reported.
In over six months of training, up to 69 American trainers are to attend the Georgian bases, equipping the soldiers with battleground skills, The New York Times reported on Thursday.
The plan is feared to raise hackles in Moscow where the leadership has strongly warned Tbilisi against 'provocative' armed campaigns around its independence-seeking republic of South Ossetia.
In August last year, the Georgian army sought to reclaim the republic which broke away from Georgia in early 1990s. Russia foiled the attack, saying it had endangered its citizens there.
Moscow has also condemned Washington for supplying hardware and training to Georgia in the lead-up to the attack.
The Georgian military has ever since lost much of its combat power and has been asking Washington to renew its military support.
Washington claims it has turned down the requests and that the upcoming training is aimed at elevating the Georgian military to the level of the coalition forces in Afghanistan.
The daily quoted the Pentagon press secretary, Geoff Morrell as saying, "This training mission is not about internal defenses or any capabilities that the Georgians would use at home. ...This is about the United States supporting Georgia's contribution to the war in Afghanistan, which everybody can recognize is needed and valued and appreciated."
He said Tbilisi was not to misinterpret the intentions either.
Georgia, meanwhile, is reportedly to commit 750 troops to the Afghanistan contingents in a bid to prove its eligibility for NATO membership - another ambition opposed by Russia which has warned against its strategic consequences.
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