ZURAB ZHVANIA’S FUNERAL FINISHED IN GEORGIA

Arminfo
7 Feb 05

TBILISI. Georgia’s Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania’s funeral came to an
end in Georgia.

He was buried in the Didube Pantheon of Eminent Public Persons of
Georgia. The Pantheon was created in XIX century; It is the home
for famous persons working in science, culture, writers and public
persons. All in all there were 100 graves in the Didube Pantheon. Grave
of Zurab Zhvania is the 101th in Didube Pantheon.

The Ceremony was accompanied by artillery that fired volleys. Family
members of the premier, Georgia’s president Mikheil Saakashvili,
vice premier Giorgi Baramidze, state minister Giorgi Khaindrava and
Zurab Zhvania’s relatives were at the burial ceremony.

At about 15:30 the coffin was taken to Rustaveli Avenue at the
parliament building of Georgia. Those present paid a minute of silence
in honor of the prime minister. After this the orchestra played the
national anthem.

The servicemen of 11 brigade of Shavnabada battalion took the coffin
from the Rustaveli Avenue to the cathedral of Sameba.

Thousands of people gathered at the building of parliament. Ceremony
was attended by the president of Georgia, spokesperson of parliament
Nino Burjanadze, members of the government, MP, public persons,
representatives of international organizations, ordinary citizens.

After the ceremony at the parliament representatives of the government
and foreign delegations brought flowers to the place where the coffin
with Zurab Zhvania’s body was rested.

Over 50 delegations including heads of diverse international
organizations from different countries arrived for the funeral,
including delegations from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Germany,
Russia, the USA, Turkey, Ukraine, France, Finland, Czechia. To note an
Armenian delegation headed by Vice Speaker of the Armenian Parliament
Tigran Torosyan also attended the ceremony. The delegation consisted
of Minister for Transport and Communication Andranik Manukyan,
Yerevan Mayor Yervand Zakharyan, other officials, as well as the first
president of Armenia, Levon Ter-Petrosyan and the former speaker of
the Parliament Babken Ararktsyan.

Georgian government received dozens of condolences from different parts
of the world in connection with the death of Zurab Zhvania. Among
them are heads of international organizations, well-known public
persons. One of the first persons to express his condolences was
president of Ukraine Victor Yushenko; President of Russia Vladimer
Putin sent a telegraph; condolences were also received from the
president of Turkey Taip Rejeb Erdogan, President of Azerbaijan Ilham
Aliev, European Commission, European Union and other organizations;
Georgia’s president received a personal call from the State Secretary
of the US Condoliza Rice.

Despite cold whether – it’s been snowing in Tbilisi for a few days
already – the funeral ceremony was attended by thousands of people
from all the corners of Georgia.