Cheney: Georgia to join Nato

US Vice-President Dick Cheney has pledged support for Georgia to join Nato, condemning Russia's "illegitimate" invasion. During his one-day visit to Georgia, Cheney held talks with President Mikheil Saakashvili and promised that the US would stand by Georgia. "As you work to overcome an invasion of your sovereign territory and an illegitimate attempt to change your country's borders by force," he said. America was strongly committed to "Georgia's territorial integrity", he added.

Cheney is expected to hold talks with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on Nato, energy pipelines and support for Georgia later today. European officials have suggested that Ukraine could be the next flashpoint for tensions between Russia and the West. Russia is strongly opposed to any further expansion eastwards of Nato and is angry that both Georgia and the Ukraine may one day join Nato.