The International Monetary Fund is preparing to dispatch a team of economists to Georgia for meetings with government officials and central bankers in the embattled Caucasian republic, writes James Politi in Washington .

The emergency mission, which will arrive in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, tomorrow, was requested by Georgian officials. It follows a strong statement of support for their handling of the economy by John Lipsky, IMF acting managing director, on August 11.