About 1,300 US, British and Georgian troops conducted joint exercises aimed at training the former Soviet republic's military for participation in the Nato Response Force.

The two-week Nobel Partner exercises opened at Vaziani military base, about 12 miles from Georgia's capital Tiblisi, on Wednesday.

Eight M1A2 Abrams tanks have been ferried to Georgia from Bulgaria together with Bradley infantry fighting vehicles for the occasion.

Nobel Partner is one of the biggest exercises Georgia has ever held in terms of troops numbers and equipment.

At the opening ceremony US air force C-139 transport aircraft airdropped light armoured vehicles and howitzer artillery as well as 120 US paratroopers, while Georgian forces were operating battle tanks and infantry combat vehicles.

Russia's Foreign Ministry last week called the exercises a provocative step aimed at destabilising the region.

At the opening of the drills, Georgian Defence Minister Tinatina Khidasheli warned Russia to respect the choices of independent states.