Georgian parliament okays state of emergency

Georgia's parliament on Friday approved President Mikheil Saakashvili's 15-day state of emergency, banning rallies and independent newscasts following violent clashes in Tbilisi.
But a senior official in the presidential office said emergency rule would be lifted much sooner.
Parliament's endorsement, which defied international calls for emergency rule to be lifted, allows the restrictions on civil and press freedoms to remain in place until November 22.
But Yekaterina Sharashidze, the head of the presidential administration, told reporters: "The state of emergency is expected to be lifted much sooner than the parliament's approved 15 days.
"The president has the right to lift it as soon as he deems it necessary," she added.
The US government said Friday it was sending an envoy to Georgia at the weekend to urge the government to lift emergency rule and take further steps toward democracy.
Matthew Bryza, deputy assistant secretary for European and Eurasian affairs, would be in Georgia "this weekend to, again, provide our views and counsel," the US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters.
Saakashvili prompted international condemnation when he ordered the state of emergency on Wednesday after police fought running battles with anti-government protesters in the streets of Tbilisi.
Riot police used rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons to disperse thousands of people who had gathered for a sixth day of protests calling for Saakashvili to resign and for early parliamentary elections.
Then on Thursday Saakashvili called a snap presidential poll for January 5 and promised the state of emergency would be lifted within days. He also said a referendum would be held to set a date for parliamentary elections.