Georgia’s prime minister Zurab Zhvania has died of apparent gas poisoning, the ex-Soviet state’s Interior Minister said. “Since he did not answer his telephone for a long period his bodyguard broke through the window ... and found Mr Zhvania’s body.” Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili said on Georgian television. Zhvania was found dead at 4:30 a.m. (0130 GMT) yesterday morning, Merabishvili said, adding foul play was not suspected.

News of Zhvania’s death stunned the mountainous Caucasus republic of 5 million, hit by separatist tensions and still recovering from a car bombing on Tuesday which killed three policemen and seriously injured 15. Russia’s Interfax news agency said Zhvania’s body was found in the apartment of a friend, Raul Yusupov, deputy governor of a Georgian region, who also died. Zhvania, 41, was appointed PM in early 2004 by President Mikhail Saakashvili, who was swept to power by a wave of protests over a fraudulent election that forced veteran leader Eduard Shevardnadze to resign.

<B>Niko MCHEDLISHVILI</B>