Bush arrives in Georgia for flying visit

US President George Bush arrived in the ex-Soviet republic of Georgia today on a visit that Georgians hope will notch up the pressure on Russia to respect this young democracy on its doorstep.

Georgians want Russia to withdraw two Soviet-era holdover bases it maintains on Georgian territory and to stop giving support to two separatist regions - issues that the US-educated president, Mikhail Saakashvili, is looking to the US to promote.