President takes charge in Georgia
Prime minister dies from 'accidental gas poisoning'
From Jill Dougherty
CNN Moscow Bureau Chief
MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has said he would temporarily fulfill the executive duties of prime minister following the apparently accidental death of Zurab Zhvania.
Zhvania, prime minister since 2004, died Thursday morning in what is believed to have been an accidental poisoning from a natural gas leak.
The prime minister of the former Soviet republic died at the Tbilisi house of a political friend, who also died, Deputy Prime Minister Georgy Baramidze told CNN. An investigation has been launched.
Zhvania had gone to the home of Raul Usupov, deputy governor of Georgia's Kvemo-Kartli region, for a small party Wednesday evening and was found dead Thursday morning, Baramidze said.
Bodyguards broke into the house after they couldn't get in touch with the prime minister for several hours, he said. They found both men dead inside the house.
Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili said Zhvania's body was found slumped in an armchair near a gas heater.
An expert who appeared on Georgian television Thursday said no injuries were found on Zhvania's body and the likely cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning.
Tests showed Zhvania's blood contained fatal levels of a substance called carboxihemoglobin, Justice Ministry official Levan Samkharauli told Reuters.
"That means that the cause of death was carbon monoxide gas," he said.
Gas poisoning is common in Georgia, mainly caused by the heaters run off gas canisters that people use in winter, when power supplies are erratic, Reuters said.
The president's decision to name himself as a caretaker prime minister underscored the scarcity of suitable candidates to succeed Zhvania in the country of 5 million people, Reuters reported.
Saakashvili made his announcement on state television. By law, he has seven days to nominate a permanent replacement, who must be approved by parliament.
"As president I am taking over leadership of executive power. I am ordering the government to return to work," Reuters quoted Saakashvili as telling a crowd outside Tbilisi's Holy Trinity cathedral where Zhvania's funeral is to be held.
Earlier, at an emergency meeting of ministers, a red-eyed president -- his voice breaking with emotion -- said, "(Zhvania's death) is a huge blow for our country and personally for me as a president and as a person."
"I have lost my closest friend, my most loyal adviser, my biggest ally."
Saakashvili called Zhvania a "patriot." Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a telegram of condolence to Saakashvili, saying Zhvania "was well known in Russia as a supporter of the development of friendly, good-neighborly relations between the Russian and Georgian peoples."
Zhvania, 41, was a key leader of the 2003 "Rose Revolution" protests that toppled veteran leader Eduard Shevardnadze and brought the West-leaning Saakashvili into power.
Zhvania was one of the first politicians to call people into the streets to protest disputed elections.
Asked if foul play was suspected, Baramidze said Zhvania's death appeared to be accidental. But he added, "There are lots of enemies of Georgia that might have wished him dead."
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 wire reports. "(Zhvania) was a very important figure in the leadership who was helping the government to work as a team," a close aide, who did not want to be named, told Reuters.
"But I think there's enough unity in the government and (it) won't come apart after this tragedy."
Zhvania is survived by his wife and three children.
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Associated Press contributed to this report.
