Hundreds of protesters have gathered outside Georgia's Black Sea portof Poti, demanding the withdrawal of Russian forces from the city.
Theychanted "Russians Go Home" to protest checkpoints set up by Russiantroops in armored personnel carriers. No direct confrontation wasreported.
Moscow says it has fulfilled terms of aFrench-brokered peace deal with Tbilisi. But, in addition to Poti,Russian troops continue to patrol some key areas outside the so-called"security zones" where Russia claims it has the right to station troopsin Georgia.
Those areas include the aviation base at Senaki and parts of a major highway connecting Tbilisi with the Black Sea coast.
RussianGeneral Anatoly Nogovitsyn said Saturday the continued presence ofRussian troops deep in Georgian territory is not breaking thecease-fire that Moscow and Tbilisi signed earlier this month. He saidGeorgia's special services are preparing further military action inSouth Ossetia, and the Russian troops are in key positions to ensurepeace.
Nogovitsyn also objected to an increased presence of NATOships in the Black Sea. He said Russia could increase the size of itsforce in Georgia if the United States begins to help Georgia rebuildits military.
NATO on Friday said its Black Sea deployment wasplanned long before the outbreak of the Gergian conflict, and that theships are there for routine exercises.
The U.S. military saidthe USS , which arrived in the Black Sea on Friday from Greece,is carrying humanitarian aid for Georgia. Another U.S. ship is tofollow.
A Polish frigate also entered the Black Sea late Friday.
InTbilisi Saturday, Georgian lawmakers voted unanimously to extendemergency wartime powers for President Mikheil Saakashvili for another15 days.
The Georgian military move into South Ossetia earlierthis month triggered a massive Russian response, with Moscow sendingscores of tanks and thousands of troops into Georgia.
