Kobakhidze also dismissed the United States' decision to suspend its strategic partnership with Georgia as a "temporary event", saying Georgia would talk to the new administration of President-elect Donald Trump when it takes office in January. (Reporting by Felix Light, writing by Mark Trevelyan, editing by Andrew Heavens)

TBILISI - Facing condemnation from the United States and defiance from his own president, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze praised police on Sunday for cracking down on protesters who he said were acting on foreign orders to undermine the state.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze demanded Sunday that President Salome Zourabichvili must leave office at the end of her term this

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that President Salome Zourabichvili must step down at the end of her term, despite her refusal cit

Mass protests in the capital are continuing to erupt for a third consecutive night on Saturday in the capital Tbilisi. Riot police have been deployed around the country's parliament, the focal point of three nights of protests.

By Felix Light TBILISI (Reuters) -Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili called the government illegitimate on Saturday and said she would not leave office when her term ends next month, defying the prime minister as he accused pro-EU opposition forces of plotting revolution.