Russian MP says Georgian premier’s death was an assassination

Ekho Moskvy radio, Moscow
3 Feb 05

The death of Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania is down to Georgian
patriots who want the country to be re-united with Russia, the leader
of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) and deputy speaker of
the Russian State Duma, Vladimir Zhirinovskiy, has said.

Reporting on the reaction among Russian parliamentarians to Zhvania’s
death, Russian Ekho Moskvy quoted Zhirinovskiy as saying that he had
“long predicted that, following the velvet revolution, the events in
Georgia would take precisely this course. There have been frequent
attempts on the lives of the leaders of that republic in the past,
too, but according to Zhirinovskiy, the powerful KGB structure
prevented possible murders. Now the system of security is
insufficiently developed in Georgia and that is why Zhvania
died. Moreover, the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia
has no doubt that it was an assassination rather than an accident
because a normal adult would always be able to detect the smell of
gas. Moreover, Zhirinovskiy is sure that this tragic situation will
continue to develop further. Zhvania’s death is most likely to have
been caused by Georgian patriots who are for re-unification with
Russia. This is merely the first stage. It is a warning to [Georgian
President Mikheil] Saakashvili that he will be the next to
go. Georgia’s only way out, Zhirinovskiy opines, is to ask for
re-unification with Russia. If Saakashvili decides not go for that, he
too will be killed, the deputy added,” the radio said.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Feb 3 2005

Russia states readiness to assist in Garabagh conflict resolution

BAKU

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and his Russian
counterpart Sergey Lavrov discussed the Caspian legal status, the
Upper Garabagh conflict, prospects for developing Russo-Azeri
relations and other issues in Baku on Wednesday.
Mammadyarov, touching on the Garabagh conflict at a news briefing
following the meeting, said that the Russian Minister indicated
Russia’s interested in establishing stability in the region.
`Our northern neighbor (Russia) is ready to take the necessary steps
with regards to the conflict settlement, and Lavrov confirmed this
once again.’
The Russian Minister said that his country is actively working in the
area of the conflict resolution, voicing his satisfaction with the
activity of the Russian co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Yuri
Merzlyakov.*

Georgian politics may lose predictability with death of PM – Russian expert

RIA news agency
3 Feb 05

MOSCOW

With the death of Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, Georgian
politics may lose an important element of predictability, according to
Konstantin Zatulin, a State Duma deputy and director of the Institute
of CIS Countries.

“On the whole, Georgian politics has lost an important
element. Zhvania was less prone to emotions. He was more pragmatic and
predictable than the Georgian president, who is more prone to
superficial effects and populist moves,” Zatulin told RIA-Novosti.

“The situation inside Georgia and around Georgia has become more
complicated,” the expert said, predicting an exacerbation in
Georgian-Abkhaz and Georgian-Ossetian conflicts.

“In particular, changes of policy may affect the conflict zones. I
think [Georgian President Mikheil] Saakashvili will be daring. Zhvania
would have preferred more subtle ways,” Zatulin said. He recalled that
it had been Zhvania who had conducted peace talks with both Abkhazia
and South Ossetia.

“One of the most capable and active behind-the-scenes figures of the
triumvirate that came to power as a result of the rose revolution is
gone,” Zatulin said in conclusion.

No gas leak found in flat where Georgian PM died – Russian agency

RIA news agency, Moscow
3 Feb 05

TBILISI

Experts have not found a gas leak in the flat where Georgian Prime
Minister Zurab Zhvaniya died, general director of Tbilgaz [gas
distributor] David Morchiladze told reporters.

“There was no leakage of natural gas,” he said.

The gas heater was installed two days ago and the flat has apparently
not been ventilated since then, he added.

[Passage omitted: the scene of the accident is cordoned off by police;
doctors in a hospital to which Zhvaniya’s body has been taken refuse
to talk to the press.]

[In a separate report at 0706 gmt 3 Feb 05 Russian news agency RIA
quoted (?Petre Mamradze), the chief of staff of the Georgian State
Chancellery, as saying that gas poisoning is so far the only version
of Zhvaniya’s death.]

ZHVANIA’S DEATH CREATES VOID IN GEORGIAN REFORM TEAM

Eurasia Insight

EurasiaNet.org
2/03/05

By Elizabeth Owen

Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania’s untimely death deals a severe blow to
Georgia’s reform process. Political analysts have expressed concern that
the loss of Zhvania’s political and administrative skills will damage
the Georgian’s government’s cohesiveness and diminish its
policy-implementation ability.

Seeking to keep potential disruption to a minimum, President Mikheil
Saakashvili moved quickly to fill the political void, announcing
February 3 that he would assume Zhvania’s duties on an interim basis.
`I, as the President of Georgia, will assume the leadership of the
executive authorities,’ Saakashvili said.

`It is very important to maintain order and discipline in the country. I
want to warn everybody that all those who violate order and discipline
will be answerable before the law,’ Saakashvili continued. `We fully
control the situation, we are a strong state, we are a strong nation and
we will manage to resolve [our] problems.’

The heads of various ministries also attempted to project a sense of
stability, stressing on February 3 that the government was operating
normally. For example, State Minister for Economic Reforms Kakha
Bendukidze emphasized during a news conference that economic policy
would continue. `All the plans regarding the further liberalization of
the economy will be carried out,’ he said.

Georgian law gives Saakashvili seven days to name a new prime minister.
The nominated prime minister will then have ten days to assemble a new
cabinet, which will then be presented to parliament for approval.

Finding a suitable replacement will prove a major challenge for the
Saakashvili administration, observers say. `Zhvania was really running
the country and implementing policies and it’s very hard to find someone
who can be a political heavyweight and function in the same [manner],’
said Ghia Nodia, director of the Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy
and Development.

While Saakashvili brought charisma to the reform movement that swept
into power following the 2003 Rose Revolution, he relied heavily on
Zhvania to supply the administrative details. `I don’t think there will
be a change in policy because Saakashvili was still the main person who
defined policy,’ Nodia said. `But the quality of implementation is the
major concern in this case.’

The new prime minister, Nodia added, will not have the same political
clout that Zhvania had. `There will be a prime minister, but a much
politically weaker prime minister,’ Nodia said.

Legal and political expert David Usupashvili suggested that Saakashvili
had a special political relationship with Zhvania that will be virtually
impossible to duplicate. `The individual functions between the president
and the prime minister were in many ways the result of a political
agreement between these two politicians,’ said Usupashvili, who was one
of the critics of the 2004 revisions to the Georgian constitution that
amplified the president’s powers. `It will be very difficult for
Saakashvili to find a replacement who could fit in this model, which was
designed for two concrete politicians.’

Since Saakashvili’s administration came to power in January 2004, it has
pursued an ambitious program designed to erase Georgia’s chaotic
post-Soviet legacy. The government has aggressively pursued efforts to
reintegrate the country and root out corruption. At the same time, the
government has acted to change Georgia’s geopolitical course, breaking
away from Russia’s sphere of influence and seeking to join Western
economic and security structures.

Zhvania had been a high-profile figure in Georgia’s privatization
process, especially in the state’s sale of `strategic’ properties.
Outside observers had questioned the responsibility taken on by Zhvania,
but in an earlier interview with EurasiaNet, First Deputy Economy
Minister Natia Turnava described the prime minister’s role as `critical’
to the potential success of the privatization process. On January 31,
the prime minister announced the sale of the Georgian Ocean Shipping
Company to Armstrong Holdings Corp. for $161 million. The announcement
came one day after he had mistakenly named another company, the
British-Australian firm ASP Ship Management, as the buyer.

Zhvania’s also exerted considerable influence in Georgia’s longstanding
tussles with the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The
prime minister was widely seen in Georgia as heading a `party of peace,’
favoring a gradual reconciliation policy with the separatist
territories. In pursuing a go-slow approach, Zhvania had faced
opposition from cabinet `hawks,’ including recently named Defense
Minister Irakli Okruashvili, who, in his previous capacity as interior
minister, led Georgian troops into an ultimately unsuccessful foray into
South Ossetia in August 2004.

`He [Zhvania] spared no efforts to cease the Georgian aggression in the
summer of 2004,’ South Ossetian separatist leader Eduard Kokoiti said in
a press statement. `We hope that his death will not affect the process
of [peace] talks.’

Without Zhvania, noted Usupashvili, the `balancing act’ between
ministers who owed their political loyalties to Saakashvili and Zhvania
will be harder to maintain. That conflict most recently came to light in
December, when State Minister for European Integration Giorgi Baramidze,
a Zhvania protégé and former defense minister, publicly sparred with
Okruashvili, a Saakashvili protégé. Okruashvili recently replaced
Baramidze as defense minister amid an investigation of reported
corruption within the Defense Ministry.

`Zhvania’s group and Saakashvili’s group had some internal intrigues and
checks and balances,’ Usupashvili said. `I don’t think anyone can
replace Zhvania as the leader of Zhvania’s political group.’

Editor’s Note: Elizabeth Owen is EurasiaNet.org’s regional news
coordinator in Tbilisi.

US, Canada saddened at death of Georgia’s Zhvania

Agence France Presse
February 3, 2005

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States and Canada expressed “sadness” at
the death of Georgian prime minister Zurab Zhvania, 41, seen as the
driving force behind market reforms in the restive former Soviet republic.

The United States expressed “our sadness and condolences to the family
of Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania of Georgia,” said State Department
deputy spokesman Adam Ereli.

He said Washington was “deeply saddened” by the death, and that
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (news – web sites) had called
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili to extend condolences to the
government, to Zhvania’s family and to the people of Georgia.

“Prime minister Zhvania was a catalyst for democratic change in Georgia.
He was a dynamic leader, and he was a friend of the United States,”
Ereli added.

In Ottawa, Foreign Affairs Minster Pierre Pettigrew said: “It was with a
great sense of sadness that I learned earlier today of the death of
Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania.

“His commitment to Georgia and its people has long been recognized. Mr.
Zhvania’s contributions to the peaceful transfer of power in 2004 and
his help in advancing relations with Georgia’s regions have enhanced
stability in Georgia and the entire region.”

Zhvania died early Thursday in an apartment on the outskirts of Tbilisi
apparently after breathing toxic fumes leaked by a faulty heater,
officials said, ruling out foul play.

;u=/afp/20050203/wl_canada_afp/uscanadageorgia_050203225249

Poisoning death of prime minister stuns Georgia

International Herald Tribune
Friday, February 4, 2005

By Steven Lee Myers, The New York Times

MOSCOW — Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania of Georgia, a youthful reformer
and ally of President Mikhail Saakashvili, died early Thursday in what
officials described as a bizarre, but accidental, poisoning.

Zhvania, 41, was asphyxiated by carbon monoxide apparently released by a
space heater in an apartment in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, that
belonged to a political acquaintance, Raul Usupov, the officials said.
Usupov, 25, a deputy governor from the Kvemo-Kartli region, also died.

Zhvania’s death stunned the country’s politicians and raised questions
about Saakashvili’s efforts to push through economic and political
reforms in the turbulent and impoverished country without one of his
most influential and popular aides.

“Georgia has lost a great patriot,” Saakashvili said at a meeting of
government ministers, according to a transcript provided by his office.
He added, “I have lost my closest friend, most trusted adviser and
greatest ally.”

Saakashvili later announced he would assume the duties of prime
minister, as well as president, though it was unclear for how long.

By law, he has a week to announce a replacement.

Georgia’s interior minister, Nano Merabishvili, said Zhvania arrived at
Usupov’s apartment around midnight Wednesday, according to news reports
from Tbilisi. About four hours later, after not hearing from Zhvania,
his guards broke into the apartment and found him slumped in a chair.
Usupov was found in the kitchen. There were no indications of violence
or foul play, Merabishvili said.

“It all happened suddenly,” he said, calling the death a “tragic
accident.” The death nonetheless gave birth to rumors and conspiracy
theories, despite the official version.

A member of Parliament, Alexander Shalamberidze, insinuated that the
death was part of a plot orchestrated by “certain forces” in Russia that
included the bombing of a police station in the city of Gori that killed
three this week. His statement prompted a pointed protest from Russia’s
foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov.

A backgammon board was lying open on a table near an Iranian-made gas
heater. Portable gas or wood-burning heaters are common in Georgia,
where central heating networks are scarce, even in the capital.

The official Russian Information Agency reported that 45 Georgians had
died of carbon monoxide poisoning in the last three years.

Guram Donadze, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said the heater
was installed two days ago and appeared to work properly. It appeared,
however, that the room lacked proper ventilation.

“There are many rumors, suspicions, various versions,” he said in a
telephone interview. “However, what actually happened was gas poisoning
– nothing else.”

Zhvania was a leader of the popular uprising in the autumn of 2003 that
toppled President Eduard Shevardnadze and swept Saakashvili to the
presidency.

He became prime minister barely a year ago and was a driving force in
much of Saakashvili’s efforts to establish order in the country’s
economy, government and foreign policy.

Like Saakashvili, he was once allied with Shevardnadze, but broke with
him and became an opposition leader, though one considered more
temperate than Saakashvili, who is 37. He often acted as a mediator in
Georgia’s tense disputes with two breakaway regions, Abkhazia and South
Ossetia, and the country that offers them succor, Russia.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, said in a
statement that Zhvania “played a pivotal role in consolidating the
political life in Georgia and placing the country on the road to democracy.”

President Vladimir Putin of Russia, whose relations with Georgia have
cooled under Saakashvili’s presidency, expressed condolences in a
statement that called Zhvania “a champion” of friendly relations between
the two countries.

Zhvania, a biologist by education who joined the country’s Green Party
in the 1980’s, is survived by his wife and three children. He became a
chairman of the newly independent country’s Parliament in 1995, a post
he held until 2001.

He has been credited with recruiting Saakashvili into politics.

Alexander Rondeli, president of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic
and International Studies, said that Zhvania’s death would probably not
alter Saakashvili’s policies, but complicate his ability to govern.

“He was, I would say, the most important person, the most important
adviser of the president,” Rondeli said in a telephone interview.

“He was in charge of the economy, of investment. At the same time, he
was very active in foreign affairs. It is a big loss for the president
personally.”

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Feb 3 2005

Great Britain advises its citizens not to visit Azerbaijan

A report published on the official website of Great Britain’s Foreign
Office, two days ago, advised British citizens not to come to
Azerbaijan or to use the Baku underground due to alleged terrorist
threats.

The report has drawn fire from Azerbaijan. The British ambassador to
Azerbaijan, Laurie Bristow, says the report did not describe
Azerbaijan as a dangerous country and that Great Britain did not
advise its citizens to refrain from coming to the country.

Bristow said that London advises all British nationals traveling
abroad so that they can avoid certain problems. He added that his
country advises them to stay away only from Upper Garabagh and other
territories captured through military action.

RFE/RL Georgia: Government Says Premier Died In Accident As NGOs Demand
Independent Probe
Thursday, 03 February 2005

By Jean-Christophe Peuch

Georgian authorities say Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania died of carbon
monoxide poisoning and are treating the case as an accident. Zhvania
and a friend, Raul Yusupov, were found dead early this morning in
Yusupov’s Tbilisi apartment. Rights groups are already questioning the
official version and demanding an independent investigation.

Prague, 3 February 2005 (RFE/RL) — Interior Minister Ivane (Vano)
Merabishvili, who first broke the news of Zhvania’s death, identified
Yusupov as the deputy governor of Georgia’s predominantly ethnic Azeri
eastern region of Kvemo Kartli.

Regional officials, however, told RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service that
Yusupov was working as a junior government official and that he was
expected to be appointed deputy governor sometime soon. Reports say
Yusupov was a long-time political ally of Zhvania, who brought him
into government after the change in political leadership that followed
President Eduard Shevardnadze’s resignation in November 2003.

Addressing reporters at a press conference today, Merabishvili said
both men were found dead by state security officers in the middle of
the night. “According to our information, Mr. Zhvania arrived at his
friend’s apartment at about midnight. His security team waited outside
for a long time. Since the prime minister was not answering either
their telephone calls or the door bell at around 4 or 4:30 a.m., they
broke a window and discovered the bodies of Mr. Zhvania and his friend
in the apartment.,” Merabishvili said.

Merabishvili said an investigation was under way to determine the
exact circumstances of the deaths. But he seemed to rule out foul
play. “This is a tragic accident. I went to the scene personally. We
can say this was probably a gas poisoning accident,” he said. “An
Iranian-made gas heater was installed in that room. The deaths must
have occurred instantly. Mr. Zhvania was sitting in an armchair and
the body of his friend was lying in the kitchen. A table was laid with
food and drinks and a backgammon board was open.”

Levan Chachua, who heads the forensic team charged with examining the
bodies, confirmed the accidental version of Zhvania’s death: “At the
present stage, it is possible to say that [Zhvania’s] body does not
show any external wounds apart from a scar on the left side of the
lower lip. We haven’t found any internal wound either. After careful
examination of the body, and judging by the marks that cover it, we
can determine that he was poisoned with carbon monoxide.”

Chachua said the preliminary results of the biochemical analysis —
expected later in the day — will allow forensic experts to have a
better idea of how Zhvania and his friend died.

President Mikheil Saakashvili, who convened an emergency meeting of
government ministers, expressed deep sorrow over Zhvania’s
death. “This is a major blow to our country and to me personally, both
as a president and a man, just as it is probably to all of you,” he
said. “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 he will temporarily run the government. It was
earlier announced that Deputy Prime Minister Giorgi Baramidze would be
the caretaker prime minister. Government officials quickly dismissed
suspicions that Zhvania’s death could have been anything but
accidental. They also denied any possible link with the bomb attack
that left three policemen dead in the central city of Gori on 1
February.

But some are already questioning the official version. Nana Kakabadze,
chairwoman of an NGO known as Former Political Prisoners for Human
Rights, told RFE/RL that her group and other NGOs are demanding that a
commission made up of journalists, independent legal and medical
experts, and others be set up to supervise the official investigation
into Zhvania’s death.

“We believe that what happened tonight is so important that the people
should know the truth,” she said. “[They should know] who stands
behind [Zhvania’s death]. Therefore, we think it is important to us to
participate in that [commission].”

Zakaria Kutsnashvili, a former member of the Georgian parliament who
now works as an independent legal expert, told RFE/RL that he also
supports an independent investigation. “We believe the investigation
should be conducted in a very transparent manner so that everyone
should know whether this was an accident, a murder, or a suicide,” he
said. “Since we can rule out suicide, the investigation must
concentrate its efforts so that the second version — murder — is
definitely ruled out.”

Kakabadze said the official version of Zhvania’s death was not
convincing. “We have some doubts,” she said. “For example, Interior
Minister Merabishvili said [Zhvania’s] bodyguards broke a window [to
enter the apartment.] But when journalists went there to inspect the
building, they didn’t notice anything unusual and saw that all windows
were in place.”

Georgia’s parliamentary opposition today also called upon authorities
to make sure that the investigation is conducted transparently.

Manana Nachkebia, a member of the opposition New
Rightists-Industrialists parliamentary group, told Georgia’s
Novosti-Gruziya news agency that Zhvania’s death had already spawned
widespread speculation and that the authorities should do their utmost
to dissipate any doubt.

“Our aim is not to accuse anyone of murder or to hinder the official
investigators,” Kutsnashvili told RFE/RL. “We just want to know the
truth,” he said.

Analysts, Politicians Comment on Georgian Politics after Zhvania’s Death

Civil Georgia (Tbilisi)
2005-02-03

Observers say that the death of Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, who was
one of the major architects of the country’s policy, will trigger shifts
in the Georgian political life. Below are some comments by analysts and
politicians, who spoke to Civil Georgia about the possible political
consequences.

Ghia Nodia, political analyst

I do not think that this fact will change the political course in its
entirity, however we should anticipate speficic reshuffles in the
executive, in the government and the Parliament, where the members of
Zhvania’s team have suddenly become an informal grouping [with no
official backing].

The most critical element is in Zhvania’s absence, as he somehow
balanced the [political] situation [in the government]. Two informal
groups were distinguishable in the present authorities – radicals and
moderates; this had a balancing effect on the decisions made by the
authorities and, in my opinion, represented a strength rather than a
weakness, especially against the current political background wherein
there is no influential opposition in the country. Unfortunately, this
balance will [now] be weakened.

Any changes in the authorities will be natural, since the change of any
leader, and it is beyond any doubt that Zhvania was a political leader,
entails staff changes.

Probably, his successor is among the present ministers; however he will
not be as strong a figure as Zhvania was.

Davit Usupashvili, legal expert and a leading civil society activist

Even if Zhvania had stepped down at his own with, this would have
triggered great changes in the internal political life of Georgia; now,
after his death, changes are unavoidable.

Zhvania’s death is one of the worst-case scenarios that might have
happened for the country. This further complicates the situation,
especially as the country has entered the stage of dynamic processes,
with many initiatives [proposed] and numerous problems.

The government and its fate are constitutionally bound to the Prime
Minister. I do not think that the death of Zurab Zhvania, who was
agreeably not an ordinary played in Georgian politics, will trigger any
fundamental changes. However, it is quite clear that specific [personnel
and political] changes will still take place.

The Saakashvili-Zhvania tandem worked well in the executive authorities.
This [format of relationship] is reflected in the [current]
constitutional model as well. From this point of view, selecting a new
person [to fit this constitutional] model will not be so easy.

The President has seven days to select a new Prime Minister. Lets’ wait
for his choice.

As for the political spectrum, the members of the so-called Zhvania’s
political team will have to become the members of the National Movement,
not only formally [as many did previously] but also de facto. I doubt
that any member of his [Zhvania’s] team would manage to replace him [as
a leader of the political faction].

Ia Antadze, political analyst

It is very difficult to make any forecasts currently, but I can say that
politics will probably become more concentrated.

The government’s positions and decisions were more balanced [with
Zhvania], since disputes used to take place in the decision making
process between the radical and moderate parts of the authorities.

The future would allow us to see better the role which Zurab Zhvania had
in Georgia’s political life. It will be also reflected in how
Saakashvili manages to make balanced decisions.

MP Davit Berdzenishvili, opposition Republican Party

The strange and sudden death of this political figurehead of our
generation triggers feelings that even the government members are not
protected from [accidents]. I don’t think that this accident will change
our government’s general political course drastically. I also don’t
think it will trigger serious internal problems for Georgia.

But I am sure this fact will create lots of problems for Saakashvili’s
administration, at least initially.

MP Pikria Chikhradze, the New Rights-Industrialist opposition coalition

The death of Zurab Zhvania, which is personally very painful for me, as
well as the blast in Gori [on February 1, which killed three and injured
27 people], creates a sense of instability in the country.

It is most likely that Zurab Zhvania’s death will have a serious impact
on the country’s political life. Zhvania was a person who was in charge
of the political life [of the country] for a long time; he was an
extremely influential figure. Roots of his influence were spread
throughout the government, media and non-governmental sector as well.

Everybody had a feeling that Zhvania’s personality had a stabilizing and
balancing role in the government and when the government lacks this kind
of force, this will have an impact on entire country.

His death has already triggered changes, because this was followed by
the automatic resignation of the entire cabinet.

I think those persons in the cabinet which were regarded as his [Zurab
Zhvania] closest allies will be replaced [by others] soon. But I don’t
think that that staff changes will follow among the lower level officials.

As for Zhvania’s replacement at the Prime Minister’s position, I don’t
have any information about this from sources close to the government, as
I am in the opposition; I only know what the Georgian media speculates
about. And these speculations mainly concern Irakli Okruashvili [the
Defense Minister].

I think it will be better if a person with less political ambition
becomes the new Prime Minister.