The U.S. will continue its efforts to prevent international recognition of former Georgian republics, Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Philip Gordon said on Tuesday. "The Secretary made clear that the United States does not and will not recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and made clear to the Georgians that we would continue to work with other members of the international community so that other countries wouldn't recognize as well," Gordon said, speaking about the recent meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.

Moscow recognized the two pro-Russian regions - Abkhazia and another former Georgian republic, South Ossetia - after a brief war last August to repel Georgia's attack on South Ossetia. Venezuela recently joined Russia and Nicaragua in recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia as sovereign states.