Ecstatic, cheering crowds crammed into Tbilisi’s Freedom Square today to listen to a speech by George W Bush, who is making the first US presidential visit to the Caucasus.

An estimated 150,000 people descended on the Georgian capital under a baking sun, waving flags, placards and hand-drawn pictures of the US and Georgian maps covered in flowers.

Under a giant blue banner which read "Celebrating freedom and democracy", Mr Bush drew noisy applause as he praised Georgia's so-called rose revolution 18 months ago in which reformers took to the streets and seized power by popular mandate.

"You gathered here with nothing but roses and the power of your convictions and you claimed your liberty," said Mr Bush, standing on a central platform surrounded by bulletproof glass. "Because of that, Georgia is today a beacon of liberty for this region and the world.

"The path of freedom that you have chosen is not easy, but you will not travel it alone. Americans respect your courageous choice for liberty, and as you build a free and democratic Georgia the American people will stand with you."

There was a pause of a few seconds while the words were translated. Then cheering Georgians, wearing hats fashioned out of their national flag, held small children aloft and shouted their approval.

The reception was less enthusiastic when Mr Bush moved on to praise the role of Georgian peace-keeping troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"Last year, when terrorist violence in Iraq was escalating, Georgia showed her courage. You increased your troop commitment in Iraq fivefold. The Iraqi people are grateful and so are your American and coalition allies," said Mr Bush, drawing more ragged applause.

But he was on surer ground as he went on: "You are making many important contributions to freedom's cause, but your most important contribution is your example. In recent months the world has marvelled at the hopeful changes taking place from Iraq to the Ukraine. But before there was a purple revolution in Iraq or an orange revolution in Ukraine or a cedar revolution in Lebanon ther was a rose revolution in Georgia.

"Your courage is inspiring democratic reforms and sending a message that echoes across the world. Freedom will be the future of every nation and every people on earth."

Mr Bush and Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, arrived in Tbilisi late yesterday from Moscow, where he had joined more than 50 other world leaders at commemorations marking the 60th anniversary of the capitulation of Nazi Germany.

This morning, Mr Bush was greeted in the Georgian parliament by President Mikhail Saakashvili. Mr Bush urged him to use peaceful means to settle disputes with two separatist regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which are aligned with Moscow, and offered to help resolve the disputes if his assistance is requested.

He said that ultimately the conflicts would have to be resolved by the Georgian government and "the folks in the separatist regions" but that should Mr Saakashvili "make a phone call or two," he could expect Washington’s help.

Separatist rebels in Abkhazia and South Ossetia - scene of the horrific Beslan school siege - broke away from central rule in the early 1990s. About 250,000 ethnic Georgians were expelled from Abkhazia. An uneasy ceasefire holds in both regions, although Georgia frequently accuses Russian peacekeeping units of providing covert military aid to the separatist governments.

Mr Bush said that he talked in Moscow with President Vladimir Putin about the long-simmering dispute over Georgia’s demand for the closure of two Soviet-era Russian bases on Georgian territory. Mr Saakashvili did not attend yesterday's ceremonies in Moscow in protest over the disputed bases, and the argument has strained relations between the former Soviet republic and Moscow.

The Georgian Foreign Minister, Salome Zurabishvili, has said that Russia must withdraw completely before January 2008 because of parliamentary and presidential elections.

But the Russian Defence Minister, Sergei Ivanov, said that it could take up to four years to build the barracks, garages and other infrastructure in Russia to handle the servicemen and equipment withdrawn from Georgia.

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