INTERNATIONAL NEWS:THE FAI said yesterday they are monitoring the political and military situation in Georgia, where the Republic of Ireland are due to open their World Cup qualifying campaign on September 6th, but do not expect any change at this stage to plans for the game to proceed.

The association was reacting to a dramatic escalation in military activities in the secessionist South Ossetia region which Russia invaded yesterday after claiming a number of its "peace keepers" had been killed due to "Georgian aggression".

The Georgian government had previously launched an attempt to regain control of the area which has enjoyed a level of autonomy amounting to effective independence since the early 1990s, provoking claims by local leader Eduard Kokoity there were "hundreds of dead civilians", in the region's main city, Tskhinvali, which is only some 60 miles from Tbilisi.

After Russian tanks crossed the border, and amid claims fighter jets had bombed a military air base just outside Tbilisi, Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili said that the two countries were now at war and called on America to intervene.

The situation at present would appear to make the prospect of Georgia staging a major football match early next month fairly unthinkable, but an FAI spokesman suggested a firm decision would probably not be made until much closer to the date.

He cited the example of Ireland's proposed game in Macedonia in March 1999 which came under threat due to the bombing by the US air force of Serb forces in Kosovo.

On that occasion Uefa only moved to postpone the game three days before it was supposed to be played, and then only after Aer Lingus said it would not be in a position to fly the team and official party out.

As they await news, the organisation issued a statement to the effect that it would be keeping an eye on developments. "The World Cup Group 8 qualifying match between the Republic of Ireland and Georgia is not scheduled to take place until Saturday, September 6," it said.

"In the meantime, we will continue to liaise with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Fifa, Uefa and the Georgian Football Association about today's reports of unrest (the statement was issued before the full extent of the "unrest" had become apparent) and will keep fans informed of any updates and advice from these bodies on www.fai.ie, as they become available."