Gas leak kills Prime Minister of Georgia?
MIL/Agencies, Feb 3, 2005. Special Correspondent
Moscow - Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania of Georgia, a young reformer of 41, and the ally of President Mikhail Saakashvili, died early today with accidental poisoning. His sudden death plunged the country into deep state of grief.
The circumstances of his death are not clear, they are shady, and hence different rumors are coming up, which the people themselves are not in a position to clarify. Some say it is a clear-cut conspiracy against him. Some people also said that the death was not at all accidental, but manipulated.
President Mikhail Saakashvili said at a meeting of government ministers, "Georgia has lost a great patriot," He added, "I have lost my closest friend, most trusted adviser and the greatest ally."
Mr. Saakashvili later announced he would assume the responsibility of the Prime Minister and that also of the president; time demands as such. Even the President does not know whether the law permits him to do it or not, but he gave his mind that he is determined to perform both the duties.
According to New York Times, a member of parliament, Alexander Shalamberidze, insinuated that his 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 3 and wounded more than 20 earlier this week. His statement prompted a pointed protest from Russia's foreign minister, Sergey V. 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 seemed to work properly. But it appeared that the room lacked proper ventilation.
Dr. Raj Baldev, Cosmo Theorist from India , in his meeting with the SAROUL members paid high gratitude and homage to Zurab Zhvania, the Prime Minister of Georgia.
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