Here on the Here on the Black Sea American sailors are giving lessons in search and seizure techniques.

This training continued Wednesday as part of the U.S. Navy's two-day exercises with the Georgian coastguard.

But the American presence here is about more than naval tactics. It signifies Washington's support for the Georgian government.

Georgia - a NATO hopeful - fought a 5-day war with Russia in 2008 over the territory of South Ossetia.

And Russia remains sensitive to Georgian military cooperation with the west.

[Christopher Broker, U.S. Naval Trainer]:
"What we're doing today is training with our VBSS team, that's Vessel Board Search and Seizure. Showing a little cross training of what we do and sharing it with some of the Georgian coast guard here, in order to better our skills and also work on our relations."

These exercises come as Russia said it has just finished setting up a coastguard division in the breakaway region of Abkhazia.

are giving lessons in search and seizure techniques.

This training continued Wednesday as part of the U.S. Navy's two-day exercises with the Georgian coastguard.

But the American presence here is about more than naval tactics. It signifies Washington's support for the Georgian government.

Georgia - a NATO hopeful - fought a 5-day war with Russia in 2008 over the territory of South Ossetia.

And Russia remains sensitive to Georgian military cooperation with the west.

[Christopher Broker, U.S. Naval Trainer]:
"What we're doing today is training with our VBSS team, that's Vessel Board Search and Seizure. Showing a little cross training of what we do and sharing it with some of the Georgian coast guard here, in order to better our skills and also work on our relations."

These exercises come as Russia said it has just finished setting up a coastguard division in the breakaway region of Abkhazia.