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President Saakashvili Urges Team To Remain United After

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  • President Saakashvili Urges Team To Remain United After

    RFE/RL Georgia: President Urges Team To Remain United After Prime
    Minister's Death

    Thursday, 03 February 2005

    By Jean-Christophe Peuch

    Georgian authorities today announced that Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania
    had been found dead in a friend's apartment in Tbilisi. Officially,
    the head of the Georgian government died of gas poisoning. Whatever
    the exact circumstances of his death, his disappearance is likely to
    seriously impact Georgia's politics.

    Prague, 3 February 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Hours after the news of Zhvania's
    death was made public, cabinet ministers held an emergency meeting
    under the chairmanship of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.

    Looking unusually pale, his voice trembling with emotion, Saakashvili
    said the loss of Zurab Zhvania was a major blow to Georgia.

    "This is a major blow to our country, and to me personally, both as
    president and as a man, just as it is probably to all of you. With
    Zurab Zhvania, Georgia lost a great patriot, who had tirelessly
    dedicated his entire life to serving his country. I lost my closest
    friend, my most trusted adviser, and my greatest ally," Saakashvili
    said.

    The 41-year old Zhvania was a key element of the youthful team of
    Georgian leaders that took over from president Eduard Shevardnadze 15
    months ago.

    Following Shevardnadze's resignation in November 2003, Zhvania became
    the number two figure in the triumvirate that took over the reins of
    power.

    In February 2004, Saakashvili offered him the newly created post of
    prime minister with broad powers over the economy and the upcoming
    privatization program.

    Pushing For Peace

    Zhvania was not only involved in domestic issues. He was also a key
    element in Georgia's attempts at restoring control over its two
    separatist republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

    Following last summer's armed clashes in South Ossetia, Zhvania
    initiated direct peace talks with separatist leader Eduard Kokoity.

    The South Ossetian government today expressed its regret over
    Zhvania's death.

    Boris Chochiyev, South Ossetia's chief negotiator with Georgia, told
    Russia's RIA-Novosti news agency that "Zhvania represented that part
    of the Georgian leadership which we can describe as 'the party of
    peace.'"

    Chochiyev, in particular, credited the late Georgian prime minister
    for putting an end to last summer's tensions, saying: "We were
    convinced that, unlike others, he was in favor of a peaceful
    resolution of the [Georgian-South Ossetian] conflict."

    Hard To Replace

    In Russia, too, some politicians expressed concern over the possible
    consequences of Zhvania's death.

    For Konstantin Zatulin, a pro-government member of Russia's lower
    house of parliament, the State Duma, Zhvania was a "predictable"
    politician. He said Zhvania's death may affect Tbilisi's relations
    with both South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

    The South Ossetian leadership has blamed last summer's armed clashes
    on Saakashvili and then interior minister Irakli Okruashvili. It was
    on Saakashvili's orders and under Okruashvili's supervision that
    troops entered South Ossetia last June, officially to combat smuggling
    gangs active in the region. The operation eventually triggered armed
    clashes with South Ossetian forces, bringing both sides to the verge
    of war.

    Georgian media have in recent weeks speculated about growing
    disagreements between Okruashvili -- who was appointed defense
    minister in December 2004 -- and Zhvania's allies in the cabinet.

    As evidence to reports of infighting, the Tbilisi-based "Rezonansi"
    daily last month cited Okruashvili's recent accusations of corruption
    launched against top army officials who had been appointed at the time
    that Giorgi Baramidze, a close associate of Zhvania, was defense
    minister.

    As if he foresaw further problems among his team, Saakashvili today
    urged government members to remain united and "support each other."

    "At this difficult time for both the country and for us -- and for me
    personally -- I would like to urge you all to remain firm and
    persevering. At this difficult time for the Georgian government, you
    can render no greater service to the country than to remain loyal
    servants to your country, to Georgia, to our people. That is what
    Zurab Zhvania devoted his entire life to and that is your most sacred
    duty. However difficult it may be, we must continue to serve our
    country, Georgia, every minute of our life and up until the end,"
    Saakashvili said.

    Saakashvili's press adviser Medea Akhalkatsi later said that,
    according to the constitution, the president has seven days to
    nominate a new prime minister and ask parliament to approve his
    choice.

    Meanwhile, Zhvania's daily duties will be temporarily taken over by
    Baramidze, who is now a deputy prime minister and a state minister in
    charge of Georgia's European integration.


    QUOTE: "At this difficult time for the Georgian government, you can
    render no greater service to the country than to remain loyal servants
    to your country, to Georgia, to our people." -- Georgian President
    Mikheil Saakashvili

    http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2005/02/3246cd4b-d82d-4a7f-8b04-b8eaa3604acc.html
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