Russia warned the new leaders of Georgia on Tuesday against allowing any violent action to close Russian military bases there, but the United States publicly backed the Georgians in the dispute. The Russian foreign ministry, reacting to harsh remarks by a Georgian politician who called for popular action to force the closure of the two bases on Georgian soil, warned its former Soviet ally that such action would harm bilateral relations. “The Georgian authorities must understand that any such violent action against Russian bases and civilians on the territory of Georgia would have far-reaching consequences,” said a ministry statement, issued in Moscow. The ministry earlier summoned Georgia’s ambassador to protest the remarks by the leader of Georgia’s Popular Front, who has accused President-elect Mikhail Saakashvili of being soft on the bases issue. Full Story