Georgia set to end emergency rule

Troops have been on the streets of Tbilisi since the protests began

Georgia will lift a state of emergency on Friday, nine days after it was imposed amid opposition protests, the country's speaker has said.

"Georgian life will return to normal on 16 November," Nino Burjanadze said.

President Mikhail Saakashvili initially announced a two-week emergency on the sixth day of protests in Tbilisi.

He said a week ago he would hold early polls, meeting a key opposition demand as international criticism grew of a police crackdown on protesters.

Following a meeting with Georgian officials on Tuesday, US Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza said he had been assured the state of emergency would soon be lifted.

Opposition united

The pro-Western Mr Saakashvili has accused Russia of stoking the street protests - a charge both Moscow and the opposition in Georgia have denied.

He earlier said the announcement of emergency rule was needed to prevent a "coup" against his government.

Last Wednesday, soldiers and riot police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters who had gathered outside the parliament in Tbilisi for a sixth consecutive day.

Mr Saakashvili remains popular with many Georgians

Television pictures showed security forces chasing and beating the protesters.

Opposition supporters had called on Mr Saakashvili to resign and hold early elections, accusing him of corruption and authoritarianism.

The president announced last Friday that the country would now go to the polls early, on 5 January.

Mr Saakashvili, who remains popular with many Georgians, is hoping to be re-elected.

The country's opposition parties this week announced they would field a single candidate to challenge the president - Levan Gachechiladze, an MP who led last week's rallies against Mr Saakashvili.

The protests were the largest Georgia has seen since the "Rose Revolution" that catapulted Mr Saakashvili to power in 2003.