Prime Minister of Georgia dead

[Vohu Manah]

'Gas poisoning' kills Georgian PM

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.

Copyright 2005 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.

[Vympel]

It was tEh KayG33B!

[Jason von Evil]

It was tEh KayG33B!

I wouldn't be surprised if he was assassinated. Isn't Georgia close to civil war?

[Admiral Valdemar]

I wouldn't be surprised if he was assassinated. Isn't Georgia close to civil war?

I thought they were stable now they had their little revolution and broke free from the shackles of the evil Soviet Empire. You're probably thinking of Georgia, USA.

[Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba]

Hm, checking other news reports, it seems quite conclusively to have been a gas leak.

Still, Crimson Scorpion may be in on this...

[Jason von Evil]

I wouldn't be surprised if he was assassinated. Isn't Georgia close to civil war?

I thought they were stable now they had their little revolution and broke free from the shackles of the evil Soviet Empire. You're probably thinking of Georgia, USA.

I remember reading something about their being a province in Georgia that wanted to breakaway. Something about them being different in terms of culture or some shit like that.

[Vympel]

Hm, checking other news reports, it seems quite conclusively to have been a gas leak.

Still, Crimson Scorpion may be in on this...

Erm ... Dolph Lungdren?

[Admiral Valdemar]

I remember reading something about their being a province in Georgia that wanted to breakaway. Something about them being different in terms of culture or some shit like that.

You're probably thinking of Georgia, USA.

[Jason von Evil]

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/fac ... tml#Issues

ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy from the Georgian government;

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe ... 102477.stm

Since independence, the people of Georgia have endured periods of civil war and unrest as well as violence related to the independence aspirations of the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Although diplomatic efforts have brought relative stability in recent years, tensions over both regions persist.

[Stofsk]

I remember reading something about their being a province in Georgia that wanted to breakaway. Something about them being different in terms of culture or some shit like that.

You're probably thinking of Georgia, USA.

ZING! Double zing, since you had to repeat the joke. Funny one!

I don't think it was the Kay-gee-bee, Vym. Take a look at leaked intel documents:


It looks like MI6 has a 'man-on-the-ground'.

[Chmee]

There's just no way to take a prominent politician's death at face value in this part of the world .... especially anyone labelled a 'reformer'.

[Enforcer Talen]

I remember reading something about their being a province in Georgia that wanted to breakaway. Something about them being different in terms of culture or some shit like that.

You're probably thinking of Georgia, USA.

ZING! Double zing, since you had to repeat the joke. Funny one!

I don't think it was the Kay-gee-bee, Vym. Take a look at leaked intel documents:


It looks like MI6 has a 'man-on-the-ground'.

hes a russian double agent. hes trained most of their best navy captains.

[weemadando]

To quote myself:

"Where heads of state (or royalty) are concerned, there is no such thing as an accident." - regarding the "accidental" death of William Rufus in a history tutorial.