Georgia PM Death Confirmed from Gas Poisoning

reuters.com ^ | Fri Feb 4, 2005 10:17 AM ET | Reuters

[Destro]

Georgia PM Death Confirmed from Gas Poisoning

Fri Feb 4, 2005 10:17 AM ET

TBILISI, Georgia (Reuters) - Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania's death was, as initially thought, caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, a justice ministry expert said Friday after an autopsy.

The report appeared to confirm that Zhvania, 41, who was found dead in a Tbilisi apartment together with a friend, had died accidentally from fumes from a faulty gas heater.

"The cause of death is intoxication from carbon monoxide," the expert, Levan Samkharauli, told reporters.

There was no external damage to the body, he added.

Zhvania was the senior figure in a trio of leaders who spearheaded a "Rose Revolution" of street protests that toppled veteran leader Eduard Shevardnadze in November 2003 and then installed West-leaning President Mikhail Saakashvili in power.

His death has robbed Saakashvili of a steadying hand to help run the turbulent ex-Soviet country of 5 million people.

Saakashvili has said he will take over the running of the government in the short term, underlining the dearth of suitable candidates of the stature to replace Zhvania.

Faulty gas heaters have been the source of many fatalities in Georgia, a country with a small industrial base and few natural resources that suffers from a crumbling infrastructure.

[mlbford2]

Hey Zurab, say "Hi" to Vince Foster for me. I bet you guys will have a real hoot of a story for each other.

[pissant]

I think I saw that episode on the Saint a few years back. Simon Templar caught the villain.

[Destro]

The Saint? You are dating yourself.

[Destro]

If so - hats off to those who did it because it is almost impossible to kill like this on purpose on que.

[mhking]

OK. Who farted?

[sheik yerbouty]

I suppose some will say the gas came from stuffed cabbage and borscht, but I think it was murder.

[Destro]

Why? Cause you watch CSI?

[ravingnutter]

The report appeared to confirm that Zhvania, 41, who was found dead in a Tbilisi apartment together with a friend, had died accidentally from fumes from a faulty gas heater.

I have a sneaky suspicion it is more like what we used to say when we were kids..."accidentally on purpose".

[Destro]

Accident for real i smore like it:
"Faulty gas heaters have been the source of many fatalities in Georgia, a country with a small industrial base and few natural resources that suffers from a crumbling infrastructure."

[Destro]

Hehe, but if it was a hit it was a masterpiece.

[Cinnamon]

a masterpiece indeed. whoever did it just got his calendar filled

[sheik yerbouty]

actually, I got bored with CSI.

[Destro]

Hey, but if it was a hit it was a masterpiece. (where did hehe come from? I zone out when I type I think).

[Destro]

Such a masterpiece that its humanly impossible to carry out, IMHO.

[Dante3]

Zhvania was renting and apartment in a poor section of town and was found dead in bed with a young Muslim guy.

[Destro]

What?

[Dante3]

From what I heard the "friend" was about 20 to 22, good looking, and a Muslim.

[Destro]

That is almost as bad as the concpiracy theories saying this was not an accident.

[Destro]

Like Vince Foster - if this was a hit - his own people took him out - the Georgian govt would not be covering up for their Russian adversaries.