The man set to become Georgia's next prime minister says his country will take part in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi despite differences with Russia over disputed territories.
Russia and Georgia, which have no diplomatic ties, fought a brief war in 2008 over two breakaway Georgian republics, one of them just miles away from the Russian border and the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.
Bidzina Ivanishvili, whose coalition won the parliamentary vote earlier this month, on Tuesday pledged support for the games and dismissed suggestions of a boycott to protest Russian military presence in the republics.
Ivanishvili said Georgia must act ''as a good neighbor and make sure the Olympics go ahead peacefully and without any troubles.''
Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili has protested against holding the games in Sochi.
