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Georgia PM found dead

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Posted by: lester

Breaking News

TBILISI (Reuters) - Georgia's Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania has died, with initial indications that the cause was gas poisoning, the ex-Soviet state's Interior Minister says.

"Since he did not answer his telephone for a long period his bodyguard broke through the window ... and found Mr Zhvania's body. We can say that this is a case of gas poisoning," Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili said on Georgian television.

Zhvania was found dead at 4:30 a.m. (1.30 a.m. British time) on Thursday morning along with an unnamed friend, Merabishvili said.

It was not immediately clear if Zhvania was in his own apartment or elsewhere, or whether he died as a result of foul play.


Posted by: Jill

Evidently he was at a friend's home. Foul play seems unlikely, but possible. Here is cnn's version:


Quote:
MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Georgia Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania has died of apparent "gas poisoning" at the Tblisi home of a friend, a top official has told CNN.

Zhvania and his host, a deputy, were found dead Thursday morning in the home where he had gone for a small party, Vice Premier Georgy Baramidze told CNN.

Bodyguards broke a window to enter the house of Raul Usupov, deputy governor of Georgia's Kvemo-Kartli region, after they couldn't get in touch with the prime minister for several hours, he said.

They found both men dead inside the house, he said.

The 41-year-old Zhvania was a key leader of the "Rose Revolution," which ousted the corruption-tainted regime of former president Eduard Shevardnadze in 2003.

Zhvania was one of the first politicians to call people into the streets to protest disputed elections in this ex-Soviet republic.

President Mikhail Saakashvili, who led the protests, named Zhvania prime minister after he was elected.

After hearing of his death, Saakashvili called Zhvania a "patriot," saying he had lost a close friend.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also expressed his condolences.

Zhvania was considered a moderate counterbalance to the more impetuous president, and he was one of the key government figures trying to negotiate settlements with Georgia's separatist regions, according to The Associated Press.

Asked if foul play was suspected, Baramidze said it appeared to be accidental, although "there are lots of enemies of Georgia that might have wished him dead."

An Iranian-made gas-powered heating stove was in the main room of the mezzanine-floor apartment, where a table was set up with a backgammon set lying open, AP reported.

Zhvania was in a chair while Usupov's body was found in the kitchen.

Central heating is scarce in Georgia and many people use gas or wood stoves in their homes.

Zhvania is survived by his wife and three children.




Posted by: Jill

Wait--now there are rumors that there were bullet wounds found in the bodies:

Quote:
Между тем корреспондент Yтра сообщает, что по неофициальной информации, министра и его друга застрелили. На их телах были обнаружены пулевые ранения.

Правительство Грузии в связи с гибелью Зураба Жвании в 10 часов собралось на чрезвычайное заседание. Его провел президент страны Михаил Саакашвили.

Специалисты проверили газовый обогреватель в квартире Рауля Усупова. После этого генеральный директор "Тбилгаза" Давид Морчиладзе заявил: "Утечки природного газа не было". По всей видимости, произошло накопление углекислого газа. По словам Морчиладзе, обогреватель был установлен два дня назад, и скорее всего, помещение все это время не проветривалось.

По распоряжению президента Грузии в столице перекрыты все подступы к Республиканской больнице, где в прозектуре находится тело Зураба Жвании. На территорию медицинского учреждения пропускают пешком только представителей власти и депутатов. Патрульной полицией также оцеплен дом, в котором нашли тело премьера. На закрытую территорию не пропускаются представители СМИ. Сотрудники правоохранительных органов не вступают в контакт с журналистами. Саакашвили запретил также работникам больницы общаться с корреспондентами. В ближайшие часы врачи обещают огласить заключение медицинской экспертизы о причинах смерти Жвании.

Тем временем президент Грузии в сопровождении членов правительства направился к семье погибшего премьер-министра. Между тем представитель парламентского большинства Грузии считает, что теракт в Гори и гибель Зураба Жвании связаны друг с другом.

Зураб Жвания родился в 1963 г. в Тбилиси. В 1992 стал членом парламента, пост премьер-министра Жвания занимал с февраля прошлого года.




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