Georgians use "passive resistance", facing possible economic turmoil

Irakli Petriashvili and a small group of fellow Georgians will confront the Russian army today about 30 miles west of the nation's capital.

As they have each day since Tuesday, these trade unionists planned to yell at the soldiers, demand they go home and sing Georgia's national anthem.

"By doing this, we express our protest against the Russians being here," said Petriashvili, head of the Georgian Trade Unions Confederation, which represents 350,000 workers from dockhands to teachers. The soldiers have ignored them.

The faceoff is a consistent show of resistance since Russia took control of half of this small, U.S.-allied nation this month. Russia has pushed into the former Soviet republic unimpeded.

On Thursday, Russia began to withdraw some forces, but appeared to be in no hurry and even settled into strategic spots. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had said his troops would pull back to the breakaway province of South Ossetia and a surrounding zone by today.

"The withdrawal needs to take place, and needs to take place now," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said Thursday. He added that President Bush spoke with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.

Saakashvili said there is little Georgia can do against the Russians except "passive resistance."

Russia's lingering presence and the damage from two weeks of fighting to roads, buildings and the economy could threaten Georgia's stability.

"For all intents and purposes we are under an economic blockade," said Georgia's economics minister, Eka Sharashidze. "What better way to destroy the country and to create dissatisfaction among the public."