Tbilisi, Georgia, Jan 30, SPA -- Georgia will send an additional550 troops to Iraq next month, bringing the size of thesmall former Soviet republic's contingent to 850, anofficial said Sunday. The troops are due to leave for Iraq in late February andwill join 300 soldiers who began a six-month stint inNovember, Levan Nikolaishvili, deputy chief of the Georgianmilitary's general staff, told The Associated Press. The government late last year announced plans to raise thenumber of Georgian troops in Iraq to 850 in 2005, but didnot given a timetable. In a statement late Saturday welcoming the Iraqi electionsas a "historic event," Georgia's Foreign Ministry saidsome of the troops being sent to Iraq would help guard theU.N. mission there. Since his election a year ago, Georgian President MikhailSaakashvili has cultivated closer ties with the UnitedStates in a bid to offset the influence of neighboringRussia. The 300 soldiers sent to Iraq in November were among some2,000 trained under a U.S. program to improve Georgia'santi-terrorism capabilities. In December, a top U.S.general said the United States will launch a new, US$40million (¤30 million) military program this year to trainGeorgian soldiers to support U.S.-led coalition operationsin Iraq.--SPA1428 Local Time 1128 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/235570