'Only Georgian People Decide Their Future,' U.S. Says As Russia Hints To Possible Help For GD to Stay In Power

The United States said on Monday it's "vigilant in watching" Russian attempts to interfere in elections throughout the region, after Moscow officials suggested "a possible help" for Georgia's ruling party to stay in power, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

"We have seen a number of Russian not just attempts, but we’ve seen outright Russian interference in elections all throughout the region and all throughout the world, and we are always vigilant in watching those," State Department's spokesperson Matthew Miller told TURAN's correspondent during a daily briefing.

"And as you have heard us say on a number of occasions, it is important that the Georgian people and the Georgian people alone decide the future of their country," Miller added.

Russia's Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Andrei Klimov was quoted over the weekend as saying that his country was "ready" to help the Georgian Dream to retain power if Tbilisi asks Moscow to do so.

Speaking to reporters about Georgia's forthcoming election, which will take place in October, Klimov reportedly expressed Russia's readiness to "prevent a coup attempt" drawing a parallel with Syria and noting that "those who turn to Russia receive assistance."

"Let me tell you something else, for example, there was an attempt to overthrow the state in Syria. When the legitimate government of Assad turned to us for military assistance, we provided them with this assistance and, as you know, the situation in Syria has stabilized,” Georgia's TV Pirveli quoted Klimov as saying.

Klimov currently also holds a position as the Chairman of the Russian Federation Council’s Interim Commission for the Protection of State Sovereignty and Prevention of Interference.