TBILISI, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Five trainers from the U.S. Marines have arrived here to instruct a Georgian battalion that will be deployed to Afghanistan next year.

    The five, part of a group of 60-70 U.S. trainers, arrived here Saturday, Georgia's Kavkaz Press reported.

    The training mission will formally start on Sept. 1 to instruct the 750-soldier Georgian battalion.

    Pentagon sent a similar training mission to Georgia last year, but it was suspended after Georgia was involved in a military conflict with Russia.

    Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said Thursday the training mission was aimed at improving performances of the Georgian peace-keeping troops, rather than enhancing the defense capability of the Georgian armed forces.

    Washington has consulted with Moscow over the issue to avoid any misunderstanding, he said.

    Upon proposal of President Mikhail Saakashvili, the Georgian parliament approved the deployment of Georgian peace-keeping troops to Afghanistan on Aug. 6. The first batch of some 170 soldiers, to be trained in France, will be sent to Afghanistan in November.