US State Department urges unity among Georgia's pro-Western forces

The United States has urged pro-democracy and pro-NATO voices in Georgia to "focus on their common interests" in light of the government's clampdown on opposition figures.

The US Department of State's Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf said on Friday night the Obama Administration is "concerned by the continued investigations and criminal charges against opposition figures and the risks that politicized prosecutions would pose for Georgia's democracy."

She urged pro-democracy groups in the Eastern European nation to "build on recent achievements, and work together to move the country forward and address the pressing economic and regional security challenges of the day."

Harf added that the United States "continues to support Georgia's democratic development, which must include respect for political pluralism and open debate."