MOSCOW, November 24 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - While Washington granted the new Georgian government de facto recognition, Russian newspapers worried Monday, November 24, that the former Soviet republic could move sharply into the Western sphere of influence after the resignation of President Eduard Shevardnadze.

The Kommersant daily, which like the rest of the Moscow press gave the dramatic events in Tbilisi front-page coverage, praised the bloodless nature of the opposition's three-week campaign to oust the Shevardnadze government. "Almost no one suffered," it pointed out.

But the respected newspaper accused the United States of helping to orchestrate the downfall of the 75-year-old former Soviet Foreign Minister, who recently mended fences with neighboring Russia after coming under domestic pressure.

"The history of the conflict between the government and opposition in Georgia did not start with the attack on parliament Saturday," Kommersant said.

"The catalyst for the crisis was the visit to Georgia of former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker in July and the Americans' efforts to unify the forces opposed to the President in the months that followed," it added.

The liberal Nezavisimaya Gazeta agreed that Western countries who want to guarantee the security of Caspian oil supplies through Georgia had decided to abandon Shevardnadze.

"The world distanced itself from Shevardnadze. The West is interested in stability in Georgia, but it was indifferent to the fate of the leader of this republic," it said.

The newspaper quoted experts who warned that the young pro-Western opposition leaders who toppled the Georgian President could do everything they could to resist Russia's influence.

"The new leaders could take an anti-Russian stance and Russia risks losing its position in the Caucasus and the possibility of taking part in developing gas and oil in the Caspian," foreign policy expert Alexander Rar said, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The Vedomosti business daily warned that "if Russia manages to benefit from the situation, it will be a miracle."

"Without a personal understanding with Shevardnadze, Russia's major interests in Georgia cannot be defended, " the newspaper wrote.

Shevardnadze made the right decision after all

The announcement, made by State Department spokesman Richard Boucher, followed the resignation of Shevardnadze  amid an acute political crisis brought on by opposition charges that he had rigged a November 2 parliamentary election.

"We look forward to working with Interim President Burjanadze in her effort to maintain the integrity of Georgia's democracy as she strives to ensure that this change in government follows the constitution," Boucher said in a statement.

But attaching a caveat to the endorsement, he stressed that the United States and the international community stood ready to support the Georgian government "in holding free and fair parliamentary elections in the future."

The U.S. assurances followed an intense round of diplomacy involving U.S. Secretary of State Powell, U.S. Ambassador Richard Miles and other U.S. diplomats.

Powell called Burjanadze in the wake of Shevardnadze's departure to encourage her to move forward "in a manner consistent with Georgia’s constitution," according to State Department officials.

In the same direction, Miles and other members of the embassy staff conferred with representatives of all the parties in Tbilisi, seeking assurances of Georgia's commitment to democracy, the officials said.

"The U.S. supports the stability and sovereignty of a democratic Georgia and is committed to helping the Georgian people emerge from this crisis," Boucher said.

"We continue to urge all Georgians to work together to find a way forward without recourse to violence."

He added that the administration of President George W. Bush was aware that the people of Georgia had heard the call of Mikhail Saakashvili and his colleagues "to move to a new stage in Georgian politics."

“Nino Burjanadze”

39-year-old mother of two, Burjanadze

Georgia’s new interim President Burjanadze - 39-year-old mother of two - comes from a well-connected and wealthy family in Georgia.

Her father heads the former Soviet republic's bread and flour monopoly and financed Shevardnadze's last Presidential campaign.

When she entered politics in the Caucasian country in 1995, she did so as a Shevardnadze protégé.

She quickly became one of the leading lights of the then government bloc, Citizen Union of Georgia, and became speaker of parliament in November 2001.

But she eventually became disillusioned with the veteran Georgian president - who has for decades dominated the political scene in the mountainous country on the Black Sea - and joined the opposition, according to AFP.

Her final break with her former mentor came during a cabinet meeting six months ago, when Shevardnadze criticized parliament for holding up legislation.

Just before the country's November 2 parliamentary election, she formed her own party, Burjanadze-Democrats, with the man who served as parliament speaker before her.

A tall woman with raven black hair who favors stylish clothes, Burjanadze is a moderate voice within the opposition.

Shortly after dozens of protestors stormed parliament Saturday, forcing Shevardnadze to flee, Burjanadze took to the podium and urged the angry demonstrators to calm down and behave civilly.

She is married to Georgia's deputy prosecutor general, who was one of two government officials to quit Shevardnadze's government last week in protest at the disputed parliamentary ballot.