On the face of it, the war in Iraq has little if anything to do with Wednesday's rearranged Euro 2004 encounter in Tbilisi between Georgia and Russia.

In reality, events in the Gulf have served only to increase existing tension between two former Soviet republics who share a border but very little else.

The abandonment of the original fixture at half-time due to floodlight failure in October did little to improve relations, with accusations of sabotage and disrespect, not to mention bottles and stones, flying in both directions.

Clearly there is little love lost between the two nations on-and-off the football pitch. For a start the Georgians have strong economic and military ties with the US while Russia boasts long-established trading links with the Iraqis. Then there is the issue of the war in Chechnya, the breakaway republic that borders both Georgia and Russia. The Russians feel that Georgia is not doing enough to act against Chechen rebels holed up in the Pankisi Gorge in the north-east of the country close to the Chechen border, and accuse the Georgians of helping Chechen rebels to cross the border between the two republics.

Indeed, so frustrated were the Russians that last September Vladimir Putin sent planes into Georgia to bomb the Gorge, reportedly killing one man and injuring many others.

'If the Georgian authorities do not undertake concrete actions aimed at destroying terrorists, and if militants continue their raids into Russia from Georgia, Russia will undertake appropriate measures to counter this terrorist threat,' Putin had declared.

'If we're talking about terrorism, we've got more claims on Eduard Shevardnadze than on Saddam Hussein,' the Russian defence minister Sergei Ivanov had told the Russian parliament, the Duma.

'The Russian bombing of Georgian villages has broken all limits,' raged Georgian premier Sheverdnadze as relations between the two countries plumbed new depths.

Six weeks later, in mid-October, the Russian national team arrived in Tbilisi for their Euro 2004 qualifier, only for the floodlights to fail at half-time causing the match to be abandoned. Stoking the mutual suspicion between the two nations, the Russians immediately suspected foul play on the part of the Georgians.

'I would like to believe that this was just a floodlight failure, despite many coincidences,' said RFU vice-president Valeri Draganov later. 'If it was a planned act then the whole situation takes on another meaning, and the consequences will be heavy.'

The Georgians meanwhile claimed that the Russians had deliberately turned their back on President Sheverdnadze when the national anthems were played, and that was why their anthem was whistled by the Georgian fans and their team coach attacked as it left the darkened stadium.

Nothing was ever proven, at least publicly, but Georgian Interior Minister Koba Narchemashvili conceded that sabotage could not necessarily be ruled out. 'The emergency generators also appeared to fail, which does suggest the possibility of foul play,' he said.

As tension in the Gulf escalated many analysts feared that US action against Iraq would prompt similar moves by Russia against Georgia, an action that would receive popular backing among many Russians: 'Swap Saddam For Sheverdnadze,' urged the Russian daily newspaper Trud when the Americans first went into Iraq.

The Georgians meanwhile accuse the Russians of aiding and training separatist forces in the west Georgian province of Abkhazia.

Tensions increased again this week, when Russia expressed its disquiet over increasing American military influence in Georgia.

'It is impermissible for the Georgian leadership to take steps that violate the existing balance of forces in the Transcaucus,' said a statement released by the Russian Duma, before adding, presumably tongue-in-cheek, 'this would contradict the good-neighbourly nature of Russo-Georgian relations.'

Some politicians in Russia regard Georgia as little more than a patsy for the US, particularly since American spyplanes have been spotted above the Russo-Georgian border in recent weeks.

'Russian national security is being threatened,' claimed Duma member Anatoly Chekhoyev on Monday, 'particularly in the light of recent developments in Iraq'.

Against this background the nations meet again on the football field in what promises to be a lively encounter on Wednesday night. Politics aside, the home side are keen to put right their dreadful start to their qualifying campaign which has seen them take just one point from their first three qualifying matches.

The match was due to take place behind closed doors when UEFA cracked down after incidents at the Georgia v Ireland game last month, when a knife was thrown at Kevin Kilbane. Georgia appealed and last week UEFA relented, allowing the 11,000 ticket holders from the original match to watch Wednesday's game but insisting no extra tickets are sold. A 53,000 Euro fine was also imposed, a significant sum to the cash-strapped Georgian game.

The Russian Embassy in Moscow has received no visa applications from Russian fans wanting to see the match, but the Georgian FA's Vakhtan Tatunashvili claims the visitors have nothing to fear - despite 3,000 police officers being assigned to the match.

'Georgia will ensure safety of the highest standard during the game and will do everything to prevent incidents occurring in the future,' he said reassuringly, before adding, presumably trying to suppress a smirk, 'The Russians will receive a warm and hospitable welcome in Tbilisi'.

Georgia have never qualified for the finals of a major tournament despite being able to call upon an impressive array of talent including Rangers' Shota Arveladze, Kakha Kaladze of Milan, Georgi Kinkladze and former Newcastle striker Temuri Ketsbaia. Indeed, it's nearly two years since Georgia last won a competitive match and coach Aleksandr Shivadze quit last month in the aftermath of a disappointing home draw in a February friendly with Moldova. Croat Ivo Susak is his temporary replacement.

Russia, looking to put their dreadful World Cup finals showing behind them, will go top of the group ahead of Switzerland if they can overcome the hostile atmosphere and get past Lokomotiv Tbilisi keeper Georgi Lomaia, currently attracting the interest of Arsenal. Valeri Gazzaev's squad has been hampered by injury however, with goalkeeper Sergei Ovchinnikov, midfielder Rolan Gusev and defender Andrei Solomatin all missing.

Clearly however, there will be more than just Euro 2004 qualifying points at stake in the Lokomotiv stadium. Let's just hope that this time someone will have fed enough lari into the meter.