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Encyclopedia > Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze
ედუარდ შევარდნაძე
Eduard Shevardnadze

In office
October, 1995 – November 23, 2003
Preceded by Zviad Gamsakhurdia
Succeeded by Nino Burjanadze (acting)

Born January 25, 1928 (age 79)
Mamati, Guria
Political party Union of Citizens of Georgia , formerly CPSU
Spouse Nanuli Shevardnadze

Eduard Amvrosiyevich Shevardnadze (Georgian: ედუარდ შევარდნაძე, Russian: Эдуа́рд Амвро́сьевич Шевардна́дзе; (IPA: [ɛd̥ʊard̥ amvrosʲevʲɪtʂ ʃɛvad̥nad̥zɛ], born 25 January 1928 in Mamati, Lanchkhuti, Georgia) served as the President of Georgia from 1995 until he resigned on 23 November 2003 in the Rose Revolution. Prior to his presidency, he served under Mikhail Gorbachev as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1990. Shevardnadze's political skills earned him the nickname "Tetri Melia" ("White Fox"), while his former American negotiating partners, United States President George H. W. Bush and Secretary of State James Baker, reportedly preferred to use "Shevvy". ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (780x1146, 206 KB) President Eduard Shevardnadze of Georgia photographed during his meeting with Secretary of Defense William Cohen at the Pentagon, July 17, 1997. ... The President of Georgia (ge: საქართველოს პრეზიდენტი) is the head of the state and commander-in-chief of Georgia. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 23 is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 38 days remaining. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Zviad Konstantines dze Gamsakhurdia[1] (Georgian: ზვიად კონსტანტინეს ძე გამსახურდია, IPA: ) (March 31, 1939 — December 31, 1993) was a dissident, scientist and writer, who became the first democratically elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era. ... Nino Burjanadze Nino Burjanadze (Georgian: ნინო ბურჯანაძე) (born on July 16, 1964) is a Georgian jurist and politician. ... January 25 is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ... Guria is a region in Georgia (Caucasus), in the western part of the country, bordered by the eastern end of the Black Sea. ... The Union of Citizens of Georgia (also known as the Citizens Union of Georgia or Georgian Citizens Union) is a political party established by Eduard Shevardnadze, President of Georgia between 1992-2003. ... The Communist Party of the Soviet Union ( Russian: Коммунисти́ческая Па́ртия Сове́тского Сою́за = &#1050... For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words see here. ... January 25 is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ... Mamati is a small village in Lanchkuti, Guria, Western Georgia. ... Lanchkhuti is a town in Western Georgian region of Guria. ... The President of Georgia (ge: საქართველოს პრეზიდენტი) is the head of the state and commander-in-chief of Georgia. ... November 23 is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 38 days remaining. ... Mikheil Saakashvili and his supporters marched on the parliament carrying roses as a symbol of nonviolence The Rose Revolution (Georgian: ვარდების რევოლუცია) refers to a peaceful 2003 revolution in the country of Georgia that displaced president Eduard Shevardnadze. ... Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachyov ( , IPA: , commonly written as Mikhail Gorbachev; born March 2, 1931) was the last leader of the Soviet Union, serving from 1985 until its collapse in 1991. ... This page lists foreign ministers of Russian Empire, Soviet Union, and Russian Federation: // Heads of Posolsky Prikaz, 1549-1699 Ivan Viskovatyi 1549-70 Brothers Vasily and Andrey Shchelkalov 1570-1601 Ivan Gramotin 1605-06, 1610-12, 1618-26, 1634-35 Pyotr Tretyakov 1608-10, 1613-18 Almaz Ivanov 1635-67... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the pop band, see Presidents of the United States of America. ... George Herbert Walker Bush GCB (born June 12, 1924) was the 41st President of the United States of America serving from 1989 to 1993. ... Seal of the United States Department of State. ... James Addison Baker III (born 28 April 1930 in Houston, Texas) served as the Chief of Staff in President Ronald Reagans first administration, United States Secretary of the Treasury from 1985 to 1988 in the second Reagan administration, and Secretary of State in the administration of President George H...

Contents

Family

Shevardnadze's father, a teacher, was very poor; he had a sister and three brothers, one of whom was killed in World War II. In 1937, during the Great Purge, his father, who had abandoned Menshevism for Bolshevism in the mid-1920s, was arrested but was released due to the intervention of an NKVD officer who had been his pupil.[1] In 1951 he married Nanuli Tsagareishvili in a move he had been warned might wreck his career (her father had been executed as an "enemy of the people"); she died on October 20, 2004. Combatants Allied Powers Axis Powers Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000,000 Total dead: 50,000,000 Military dead: 8,000,000 Civilian dead: 4,000,000 Total dead 12,000,000 World War II (abbreviated WWII), or the Second World War, was a worldwide conflict... Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Great Purge (Russian: , transliterated Bolshaya chistka) is the name given to campaigns of political repression and persecution in the Soviet Union orchestrated by Joseph Stalin during the late 1930s. ... The Mensheviks were a faction of the Russian revolutionary movement that emerged in 1903 after a dispute between Vladimir Lenin and Julius Martov, both members of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party. ... Bolshevik Party Meeting. ... The 1920s was a decade sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties, usually applied to America. ... The NKVD (Narodnyi Komissariat Vnutrennikh Del )(Russian: НКВД, Народный комиссариат внутренних дел) or Peoples Commisariat for Internal Affairs was a government department which handled a number of the Soviet Unions affairs of state. ... October 20 is the 293rd day of the year (294th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 72 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...


Career

He joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1948 after two years as a Komsomol instructor and rose through the ranks to become a member of the Georgian Supreme Soviet in 1959. He was appointed Georgian Minister for the maintenance of public order in 1965 and subsequently became Georgian Minister for Internal Affairs from 1968 to 1972 with the rank of general in the police. He gained a reputation as a fierce opponent of corruption, which was endemic in the republic, dismissing and imprisoning hundreds of officials. One of his first reported acts was to call for a show of hands by senior officials and promptly ordering all those displaying expensive black-market watches to take them off and hand them in. However, he never succeeded in entirely stamping out corruption. As late as 1980, he found it necessary to reiterate that economic and social development depended on "an uncompromising struggle against such negative phenomena as money-grabbing, bribe-taking, misappropriation of socialist property, private-property tendencies, theft and other deviations from the norms of communist morality." The Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Russian: Коммунисти́ческая Па́ртия Сове́тского Сою́за = КПСС) was the name used by the successors of the Bolshevik faction of the Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party from 1952 to 1991, but the wording Communist Party was present in the partys name since 1918 when the Bolsheviks became the Russian... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... Komsomol (Комсомол) is a syllabic abbreviation word, from the Russian Kommunisticheski Soyuz Molodiozhi (Коммунистический союз молодёжи), or Communist... The Supreme Soviet (Russian: , Verhovniy Sovet, literally the Supreme Council) comprised the highest legislative body in the Soviet Union in the interim of the sessions of the Congress of Soviets, and the only one with the power to pass constitutional amendments. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ...

Communist Party
of the Soviet Union

Party History
Party Congresses
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Russian: Коммунисти́ческая Па́ртия Сове́тского Сою́за = КПСС) was the name used by the successors of the Bolshevik faction of the Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party from 1952 to 1991, but the wording Communist Party was present in the partys name since 1918 when the Bolsheviks became the Russian... Image File history File links Vkp1. ... History of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was to a significant degree determined by a person who was the head of the party in particular periods of time. ... The Congress of the CPSU was the gathering of the delegates of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and its predecessors. ...

Party Organization
Politburo
Central Committee
General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Became synonymous with leader of the party under Stalin. ... The Politburo (in Russian: Политбюро, full:Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, abbriviated Политбюро ЦК КПСС), known as the Presidium from 1952 to 1966, functioned as the central policymaking and governing body of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. ... The Central Committee, abbreviated in Russian as ЦК, Tseka, was the highest body of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU). ...

Leaders
Lenin
Stalin
Malenkov
Khrushchev
Brezhnev
Andropov
Chernenko
Gorbachev
An approximately chronological listing of Soviet leaders (heads of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and President of the Soviet Union). ... Lenin redirects here. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Georgy (Georgii) Maximilianovich Malenkov (Russian: , his first name then surname pronounced GHYOR-ghee mah-leen-KOF; January 8 [O.S. December 26, 1901] 1902 – January 14, 1988) was a Soviet politician, Communist Party leader and close collaborator of Joseph Stalin. ... Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (Russian: ; IPA: , in English, , or , occasionally ); surname more accurately romanized as Khrushchyov; April 17 [O.S. April 5] 1894–September 11, 1971) was the leader of the Soviet Union after the death of Joseph Stalin. ... Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev Russian: ; January 1, 1907 [O.S. December 19, 1906] – November 10, 1982) was the effective ruler of the Soviet Union from 1964 to 1982, at first in partnership with others. ... Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov (Russian: Ю́рий Влади́мирович Андро́пов; 15 June [O.S. 2 June] 1914 – February 9, 1984) was a Soviet politician and General Secretary of the CPSU from November 12, 1982 until his death just sixteen months later. ... Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko (Russian: ; September 24, 1911 – March 10, 1985) was a Soviet politician and General Secretary of the CPSU who led the Soviet Union from February 13, 1984 until his death just thirteen months later. ... Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachyov ( , IPA: , commonly written as Mikhail Gorbachev; born March 2, 1931) was the last leader of the Soviet Union, serving from 1985 until its collapse in 1991. ...

Pravda
Komsomol
The front page of an issue of Pravda. ... Komsomol (Комсомол) is a syllabic abbreviation word, from the Russian Kommunisticheski Soyuz Molodiozhi (Коммунистический союз молодёжи), or Communist...

Communism Portal
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A corruption scandal in 1972 forced the resignation of Vasily Mzhavanadze, the First Secretary of the Georgian Communist Party. His downfall may have been precipitated by Shevardnadze, who was the natural replacement candidate and was duly appointed to the post. During his time as First Secretary, he continued to attack corruption and dealt firmly with dissidents. In 1977, as part of a Soviet Union-wide sweep against human rights activists, his government imprisoned a number of prominent Georgian dissidents on the grounds of anti-Soviet activities. These including the leading dissidents Merab Kostava and Zviad Gamsakhurdia, who later became the first democratically elected President of the Republic of Georgia. 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Vasily Pavlovich Mzhavanadze (1902-1988) was the First Secretary of the Georgian Communist Party from September 1953 to September 28, 1972 and a member of the Soviet Unions Politburo from June 29, 1957 to December 18, 1972. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... Merab Kostava (May 26, 1939–October 13, 1989) was a Georgian dissident, musician and poet; one of the leaders of the National-Liberation movement in Georgia. ... Zviad Konstantines dze Gamsakhurdia[1] (Georgian: ზვიად კონსტანტინეს ძე გამსახურდია, IPA: ) (March 31, 1939 — December 31, 1993) was a dissident, scientist and writer, who became the first democratically elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era. ...


Shevardnadze's hard line on corruption soon caught the attention of the Soviet hierarchy. He joined the Central Committee of the Soviet Communist Party in 1976 and in 1978 was promoted to the rank of candidate (non-voting) member of the Soviet Politburo. He remained fairly obscure for a number of years, although he consolidated a reputation for personal austerity, shunning the trappings of high office and travelling to work by public transport rather than using the limousines provided to Politburo members. His chance came in 1985 when the veteran Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrei Gromyko, resigned. Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev appointed Shevardnadze to the post, thus consolidating Gorbachev's circle of relatively young reformers. Central Committee most commonly refers to the central executive unit of a communist party, whether ruling or non-ruling. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... The Politburo (in Russian: Политбюро), known as the Presidium from 1952 to 1966, functioned as the central policymaking and governing body of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. ... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Andrei Gromyko Andrei Andreyevich Gromyko (Андре́й Андре́евич Громы́ко) (July 18 (July 5, Old Style), 1909 – July 2, 1989) was Minister for Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. ... Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachyov ( , IPA: , commonly written as Mikhail Gorbachev; born March 2, 1931) was the last leader of the Soviet Union, serving from 1985 until its collapse in 1991. ...


He subsequently played a key role in the détente which marked the end of the cold war. He was credited with helping to devise the so-called "Sinatra Doctrine" of allowing the Soviet Union's eastern European satellites to "do it their way" rather than forcibly restraining any attempts to pursue a different course. When democratization and revolution began to sweep across eastern Europe, he rejected the pleas of eastern European communist leaders for Soviet intervention and smoothed the path for a (mostly) peaceful democratic transformation in the region. He reportedly told hardliners that "it is time to realize that neither socialism, nor friendship, nor good-neighborliness, nor respect can be produced by bayonets, tanks or blood." However, his moderation was seen by some communists and Russian nationalists as a betrayal and earned him the long-term antagonism of powerful figures in Moscow. Détente is a French term, meaning a relaxing or easing; the term has been used in international politics since the early 1970s. ... The Third World and nonalignment in the 1960s Background As colonial empires disappeared, newly independent states that gained nationhood after World War II still found themselves economically dependent on the industrialized, wealthier Western states and caught between the tensions of great-power rivalry. ... The Sinatra Doctrine was the name that the Soviet government of Mikhail Gorbachev used jokingly to describe its policy of allowing neighboring Warsaw Pact nations to determine their own internal affairs. ...


During the late 1980s, as the Soviet Union descended into crisis, Gorbachev and Shevardnadze became increasingly estranged from each other over policy differences. Gorbachev fought to preserve a socialist government and the unity of the Soviet Union, while Shevardnadze advocated further political and economic liberalisation. He resigned in protest against Gorbachev's policies in December 1990, delivering a dramatic warning to the Soviet parliament that "Reformers have gone and hidden in the bushes. Dictatorship is coming." A few months later, his fears were partially realised when an unsuccessful coup by communist hardliners precipitated the collapse of the Soviet Union. Shevardnadze returned briefly as Soviet Foreign Minister in November 1991 but resigned with Gorbachev the following month when the Soviet Union was formally dissolved. The 1980s refers to the years of 1980 to 1989. ... 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The rise of Gorbachev Although reform stalled between 1964–1982, the generational shift gave new momentum for reform. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...


In 1991, Shevardnadze was baptized into the Georgian Orthodox Church.[2] The Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church (Saqartvelos Samotsiqulo Avtokepaluri Martlmadidebeli Eklesia in Georgian language) is one of the worlds most ancient Christian Churches, founded in the 1st century by the Apostle Andrew. ...


Georgian president

The newly independent Republic of Georgia elected as its first president a leader of the nationalist movement, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, a famous scientist and writer, who had been imprisoned by Shevardnadze's government in the late 1970s. Gamsakhurdia's rule ended abruptly in January 1992 when he was deposed in a bloody coup d'état and forced to flee to the Chechen Republic in neighboring Russia. Shevardnadze was appointed acting chairman of the Georgian state council in March 1992. When the Presidency was restored in November 1995, he was elected with 70% of the vote. He secured a second term in April 2000 in an election that was marred by widespread claims of vote-rigging. Zviad Konstantines dze Gamsakhurdia[1] (Georgian: ზვიად კონსტანტინეს ძე გამსახურდია, IPA: ) (March 31, 1939 — December 31, 1993) was a dissident, scientist and writer, who became the first democratically elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... Capital Grozny Area - total - % water Ranked 78th - 15,300 km² - negligible Population - Total - Density Ranked 49th - est. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... Electoral fraud is the deliberate interference with the process of an election. ...


Shevardnadze's career as Georgian president was in some respects even more challenging than his earlier career as Soviet foreign minister. He faced many enemies, some dating back to his campaigns against corruption and nationalism in Soviet times. A civil war in western Georgia broke out in 1993 between supporters of Gamsakhurdia and Shevardnadze but was ended by Russian intervention on Shevardnadze's side and the death of ex-President Gamsakhurdia on December 31, 1993. Two assassination attempts were mounted against Shevardnadze in August 1995 and February 1998 which his government blamed on remnants of Gamsakhurdia's party. He also faced separatist conflicts in the regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which caused the deaths of an estimated 10,000 people, as well as an assertively autonomous government in Ajaria. 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... Map of Ossetia Ossetia is a region in the northern Caucasus Mountains, inhabited by the Ossetians, an Iranian people who speak the Ossetic language, (an Iranian Language). ... National anthem Aiaaira Official languages Abkhaz, with Russian having co-official status and widespread use by government and other institutions Political status De facto independent Capital Sukhumi Capitals coordinates President Sergei Bagapsh Prime Minister Alexander Ankvab Independence  â€“ Declared  â€“ Recognition From Georgia  23 July 1992  none Currency Russian ruble Official... Official language Georgian Capital Batumi ISO code GE.AJ Head of the Government Levan Varshalomidze Area  - Total  - % water 2,900 km² n/a Population  - Total (1989)  - Density 392,432 135. ...


The war in the Russian republic of Chechnya on Georgia's northern border caused considerable friction with Russia, which accused Shevardnadze of harbouring Chechen guerrillas and supported Georgian separatists in apparent retaliation. Further friction was caused by Shevardnadze's close relationship with the United States, which saw him as a counterbalance to Russian influence in the strategic Transcaucasus region. Under Shevardnadze's strongly pro-Western administration, Georgia became a major recipient of U.S. foreign and military aid, signed a strategic partnership with NATO and declared an ambition to join both NATO and the European Union. Perhaps his greatest diplomatic coup was the securing of a $3 billion project to build a pipeline carrying oil from Azerbaijan to Turkey via Georgia. Capital Grozny Area - total - % water Ranked 78th - 15,300 km² - negligible Population - Total - Density Ranked 49th - est. ... Chechen can mean: Chechen people, an ethnic group Chechen language Related to Chechnya This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Caucasus Mountains. ... Pracsamp 07:34, 16 February 2007 (UTC)— Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario Ignacy Łukasiewicz - inventor of the refining of kerosene from crude oil. ...


At the same time, however, Georgia suffered badly from the effects of crime and rampant corruption, often perpetrated by well-connected officials and politicians. Shevardnadze's closest advisers, including several members of his family, exerted disproportionate economic power. It was estimated by outside observers that Shevardnadze's inner circle controlled as much 70 per cent of the economy: his wife edited and wrote for one of the country's major newspapers, his daughter was the director of a television film studio and her husband founded one of the country's leading mobile phone networks (with American funding).[citation needed] While Shevardnadze himself was not a conspicuous profiteer, he was accused by many Georgians of shielding corrupt supporters and using his powers of patronage to shore up his own position. Georgia acquired an unenviable reputation as one of the world's most corrupt countries. Eventually, even his American supporters grew tired of pouring money into an apparent black hole.


Political downfall

On November 2, 2003, Georgia held a parliamentary election that was widely denounced as unfair by international election observers, as well as by the U.N. and the U.S. government. The outcome sparked fury among many Georgians, leading to mass demonstrations in the capital Tbilisi and elsewhere. Protesters broke into Parliament on November 21 as the first session of the new Parliament was beginning, forcing President Shevardnadze to escape with his bodyguards. He later declared a state of emergency and insisted that he would not resign. November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Coordinates:  - Governing Mayor Giorgi Gigi Ugulava Area    - City 372 km² Population (2005)  - City 1,093,000 Tbilisi (Georgian თბილისი , IPA: ) is the capital and largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Kura (Mtkvari) River, at . ... November 21 is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend certain normal functions of government, may work to alert citizens to alter their normal behaviors, or may order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. ...


Despite growing tension, both sides publicly stated their wish to avoid any violence, a particular concern given Georgia's turbulent post-Soviet history. Nino Burjanadze, speaker of the Georgian parliament, said she would act as president until the situation was resolved. The leader of the opposition Mikhail Saakashvili stated he would guarantee Shevardnadze's safety and support his return as President provided he promised to call early presidential elections. Nino Burjanadze Nino Burjanadze (Georgian: ნინო ბურჯანაძე) (born on July 16, 1964) is a Georgian jurist and politician. ... Mikhail Saakashvili briefing the press at UN headquarters Mikhail Saakashvili (Georgian: მიხეილ სააკაშვილი) (born December 21, 1967, in Tbilisi) is a Georgian jurist and politician and the current President of Georgia. ...


On November 23 Shevardnadze met with the opposition leaders Saakashvili and Zurab Zhvania to discuss the situation, in a meeting arranged by Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov. After this meeting, the president announced his resignation, declaring that he wished to avert a bloody power struggle "so all this can end peacefully and there is no bloodshed and no casualties". However, it was widely speculated that the refusal of the armed forces to enforce his emergency decree was the main cause of his resignation. He claimed the following day that he had been prepared to step down the previous morning, hours before he actually did, but was prevented from doing so by his entourage. November 23 is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 38 days remaining. ... Zurab Zhvania Zurab Zhvania (Georgian: ზურაბ ჟვანია) (December 9, 1963–February 3, 2005) was a prominent Georgian politician and former Speaker of the Georgian Parliament. ... Igor Sergeyevich Ivanov (Russian, Игорь Сергеевич Иванов) became Russias Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1998, succeeding Yevgeny Primakov. ...


Although it was unclear precisely what role foreign powers played in the toppling of Shevardnadze, it emerged shortly afterwards that both Russia and the United States had played a direct role. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell communicated regularly with Shevardnadze during the post-election crisis, reportedly pushing him to step down peacefully. Russian foreign minister Igor Ivanov flew to Tbilisi to visit three main opposition leaders and Shevardnadze, and arranged on late November 23 for Saakashvili and Zurab Zhvania to meet Shevardnadze. Ivanov then travelled to the autonomous region of Ajaria for consultations with the Ajaran leader Aslan Abashidze, who had been pro-Shevardnadze. General Colin Luther Powell, United States Army (Ret. ... Igor Sergeyevich Ivanov (Russian, Игорь Сергеевич Иванов) became Russias Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1998, succeeding Yevgeny Primakov. ... November 23 is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 38 days remaining. ... Zurab Zhvania Zurab Zhvania (Georgian: ზურაბ ჟვანია) (December 9, 1963–February 3, 2005) was a prominent Georgian politician and former Speaker of the Georgian Parliament. ... Official language Georgian Capital Batumi ISO code GE.AJ Head of the Government Levan Varshalomidze Area  - Total  - % water 2,900 km² n/a Population  - Total (1989)  - Density 392,432 135. ... Aslan Abashidze Aslan Abashidze (Georgian: ასლან აბაშიძე) (born July 20, 1938) was the leader of the Ajarian Autonomous Republic in western Georgia from 1991 to May 5, 2004. ...


Shevardnadze's ouster prompted mass celebrations with drinking and dancing in the streets by tens of thousands of Georgians crowding Tbilisi's Rustaveli Avenue and Freedom Square. The protesters dubbed their actions a "Rose Revolution", deliberately recalling the peaceful toppling of the Communist government in Czechoslovakia in the "Velvet Revolution" of 1989. Observers noted similarities with the overthrow of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević in 2000, who was also forced to resign by mass protests. The parallel with Yugoslavia was reinforced when it emerged that the Open Society Institute of George Soros had arranged contacts between the Georgian opposition and the Yugoslav Otpor (Resistance) movement, which had been instrumental in the toppling of Milošević. Otpor activists reportedly advised the Georgian opposition on the methods that they had used to mobilize popular anger against Milošević. According to the then editor-in-chief of The Georgian Messenger newspaper, Zaza Gachechiladze, "It's generally accepted public opinion here that Mr. Soros is the person who planned Shevardnadze's overthrow". IWPR reported that on November 28, in an interview held with the press at his home, Shevardnadze "spoke with anger" about a plot by "unspecified Western figures" to bring him down. He said that he did not believe that the US administration was involved. Coordinates:  - Governing Mayor Giorgi Gigi Ugulava Area    - City 372 km² Population (2005)  - City 1,093,000 Tbilisi (Georgian თბილისი , IPA: ) is the capital and largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Kura (Mtkvari) River, at . ... Mikheil Saakashvili and his supporters marched on the parliament carrying roses as a symbol of nonviolence The Rose Revolution (Georgian: ვარდების რევოლუცია) refers to a peaceful 2003 revolution in the country of Georgia that displaced president Eduard Shevardnadze. ... Non-violent protesters face armoured policemen The Velvet Revolution (Czech: , Slovak: ) (November 16 – December 29, 1989) refers to a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that saw the overthrow of the communist government there. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Official language Serbian written in Cyrillic alphabet1 Capital Belgrade2 President3 Svetozar Marović Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 105th 102,350 km² 0. ... Slobodan MiloÅ¡ević   (IPA Serbian Cyrillic: Слободан Милошевић) (Požarevac, 20 August 1941 – The Hague, 11 March 2006) was President of Serbia and of Yugoslavia. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... George Soros (pronounced ) [Shorosh] (born August 12, 1930, in Budapest, Hungary, as György Schwartz) is an American financial speculator, stock investor, philanthropist, and political activist. ... Otpor! (Cyrillic: ОТПОР!, in English: Resistance!) was a pro-democracy youth movement in Serbia which has been widely credited for leading the eventually successful struggle to overthrow Slobodan MiloÅ¡ević in 2000. ... Institute for War and Peace Reporting is an international media development charity, established in 1991. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized...


The German government invited Shevardnadze to live in Germany, where he is still widely respected for his role as one of the chief Soviet architects of reunification in 1990. It was reported (although never confirmed) that his family bought a villa in the resort town of Baden-Baden. However, he told German TV on November 24, "Although I am very grateful for the invitation from the German side, I love my country very much and I won't leave it." He has begun to write his memoirs following his enforced retirement. The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) German reunification (German: ) took place on October 3, 1990, when the areas of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR, in English commonly called East Germany) were incorporated into the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG, in English... 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Baden-Baden, Baden-Württemberg, Germany Baden-Baden is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. ...


Shevardnadze's legacy

Shevardnadze's political career was filled with contradictions. He was a product of the Soviet system, but played a central role in dismantling that system. He built his reputation on fighting political corruption, but came to be seen as using corrupt methods to shore up his own position. He achieved worldwide renown as the most liberal foreign minister in the history of the USSR, but was never nearly as popular in his own country. He succeeded in maintaining Georgia's territorial integrity in the face of strong separatist pressures, but was unable to restore his government's authority in large areas of the country. He helped to establish a viable civil society in Georgia, but resorted to rigging elections to maintain his powerbase.


When Shevardnadze joined the Georgian state council in 1992 in the chaotic aftermath of the coup against Zviad Gamsakhurdia, he presented himself as being the best candidate to guide Georgia through its difficult rebirth as an independent nation. Over time, he seemed to have become convinced that his interests and those of Georgia were the same, justifying the use of unscrupulous tactics in the apparent belief that Georgia could not survive without him. His downfall ushered in a renewed period of uncertainty in Georgian politics. One positive aspect in the eyes of many observers was the fact that, under his rule, a vigorous civil society had become well established and would possibly be better able to meet the challenge than had been the case in the early 1990s. It seems likely, though, that he will be better remembered for his liberation of eastern Europe than his undistinguished decade as President of Georgia. 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... Zviad Konstantines dze Gamsakhurdia[1] (Georgian: ზვიად კონსტანტინეს ძე გამსახურდია, IPA: ) (March 31, 1939 — December 31, 1993) was a dissident, scientist and writer, who became the first democratically elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era. ... 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...


Shevardnadze published his memoirs in May 2006 under the title pikri tsarsulsa da momavalze, or 'Thoughts about the Past and the Future,' which might aid historians in assessing his legacy.


References

  1. ^ Suny, Ronald. The Making of the Georgian Nation, pp. 328-9. Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 1994.
  2. ^ Kolstø, Pål. Political Construction Sites: Nation-Building in Russia and the Post-Soviet States, p. 70. Westview Press, Boulder, Colorado, 2000.

Bibliography

  • Eduard Schewardnadse: Neuerscheinung in deutscher Sprache - Georgischer Titel : PIKRI TSARSULSA DA MOMAVALZE. Metzler,Peter W., Duisburg 2007, ISBN 978-3-936283-10-5 (2007) (Pikri Tsarsulsa Da Momavalze. Tbilisi 2006).

External links and sources

Preceded by
Vasil Mzhavanadze
First Secretary of the Georgian Communist Party
1972–1985
Succeeded by
Jumber Patiashvili
Preceded by
Andrey Gromyko
Foreign minister of the Soviet Union
1985–1991
Succeeded by
Aleksandr Bessmertnykh
Preceded by
Zviad Gamsakhurdia
President of Georgia
1992–2003
Succeeded by
Nino Burjanadze


The British Broadcasting Corporation, usually known as the BBC (and also informally known as the Beeb or Auntie) is one of the largest broadcasting corporations in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the UK alone and with a budget of more than £4 billion. ... Vasil Mzhavanadze (also Vasily; Georgian: ; Russian: ; Kutaisi, 20 September (O.S. 7 September) 1902 - 5 September 1988) was the First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Georgian SSR from September 1953 to September 28, 1972 and a member of the CPSUs Politburo from June 29, 1957 to December... Jumber Patiashvili (b. ... Andrei Andreyevitch Gromyko (Андре́й Андре́евич Громы́ко) (July 5, 1909 – July 2, 1989) was foreign minister and chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet... This page lists foreign ministers of Russian Empire, Soviet Union, and Russian Federation: // Heads of Posolsky Prikaz, 1549-1699 Ivan Viskovatyi 1549-70 Brothers Vasily and Andrey Shchelkalov 1570-1601 Ivan Gramotin 1605-06, 1610-12, 1618-26, 1634-35 Pyotr Tretyakov 1608-10, 1613-18 Almaz Ivanov 1635-67... Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Bessmertnykh (Александр Александрович Бессмертных in Russian) (born 1933) briefly served as foreign minister of the USSR during 1991. ... Zviad Konstantines dze Gamsakhurdia[1] (Georgian: ზვიად კონსტანტინეს ძე გამსახურდია, IPA: ) (March 31, 1939 — December 31, 1993) was a dissident, scientist and writer, who became the first democratically elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era. ... The President of Georgia (ge: საქართველოს პრეზიდენტი) is the head of the state and commander-in-chief of Georgia. ... Nino Burjanadze Nino Burjanadze (Georgian: ნინო ბურჯანაძე) (born on July 16, 1964) is a Georgian jurist and politician. ...

Leaders of Georgia since 1918

Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918-1921): Noe Ramishvili | Noe Zhordania The President of Georgia (ge: საქართველოს პრეზიდენტი) is the head of the state and commander-in-chief of Georgia. ... Anthem: Dideba Zetsit Kurtheuls (Praise Be To The Heavenly Bestower of Blessings) Map of the Democratic Republic of Georgia from November 1918 to May 1920. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Georgia_(1990-2004). ... Noe Ramishvili Noe Ramishvili (Georgian: ; his name is also transliterated as Noah or Noi) (1881 - December 7, 1930) was a Georgian politician and one of the leaders of the Menshevik wing of a Russian Social Democratic movement. ... Noe Zhordania Noe Zhordania (January 2, 1868 – January 11, 1953) was a Georgian journalist and politician. ...

Soviet era: Chairmen of the Revolutionary Committee (1921-1922): Filipp Makaradze | Polikarp Mdivani This does not cite its references or sources. ...

Soviet era, c'td.: as part of Flag of Transcaucasian SFSR Transcaucasian SFSR (1922-1936), Flag of Georgian SSR Georgian SSR (1936-1991), First Secretaries: Vissarion Lominadze | Lavrenty Kartvelishvili | Levan Gogoberidze | Samson Mamulia | Lavrentiy Beria | Kandid Charkviani | Akaki Mgeladze | Aleksandr Mirtskhulava | Vasil Mzhavanadze | Eduard Shevardnadze | Jumber Patiashvili | Givi Gumbaridze | Avtandil Margiani | Jimi Mikeladze Image File history File links Flag_of_Transcaucasian_SFSR.svg‎ Flag of the Transcaucasian SFSR File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Soviet Union Republics of the Soviet Union Estonian SSR Byelorussian SSR Kazakh SSR Turkmen SSR Karelo-Finnish SSR... The Transcaucasian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic was a short-lived (1922-1936) Soviet republic, consisting of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, which were traditionally known as the Transcaucasian Republics in the Soviet Union. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Georgian_SSR.svg The flag of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. ... State motto: პროლეტარ ყველა ქვეყნისა, შეერთდით! Official language Georgian since 1978 Capital Tbilisi Chairman of the Supreme Council Zviad Gamsakhurdia (at independence) Established In the USSR:  - Since  - Until February 25, 1921 December 30, 1922 April 9, 1991 Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 10th in former Soviet Union 69,700 km² -- Population  - Total (1989)  - Density Ranked... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Vasil Mzhavanadze (also Vasily; Georgian: ; Russian: ; Kutaisi, 20 September (O.S. 7 September) 1902 - 5 September 1988) was the First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Georgian SSR from September 1953 to September 28, 1972 and a member of the CPSUs Politburo from June 29, 1957 to December... Jumber Patiashvili (b. ...

Georgia since 1991, Presidents: Zviad Gamsakhurdia | Eduard Shevardnadze | Nino Burjanadze (acting) | Flag of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili Motto: (Georgian) Strength is in Unity Anthem: (Freedom) Capital (and largest city)  Tbilisi Official languages Georgian (also Abkhaz within the Abkhazian Autonomous Republic) Government Unitary republic  - President Mikheil Saakashvili  - Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli Consolidation    - Establishment of first Georgian Kingdoms of Colchis and Iberia c. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Georgia_(1990-2004). ... Zviad Konstantines dze Gamsakhurdia[1] (Georgian: ზვიად კონსტანტინეს ძე გამსახურდია, IPA: ) (March 31, 1939 — December 31, 1993) was a dissident, scientist and writer, who became the first democratically elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era. ... Nino Burjanadze Nino Burjanadze (Georgian: ნინო ბურჯანაძე) (born on July 16, 1964) is a Georgian jurist and politician. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Georgia. ... Mikhail Saakashvili briefing the press at UN headquarters Mikhail Saakashvili (Georgian: მიხეილ სააკაშვილი) (born December 21, 1967), Georgian jurist and politician, is the President of Georgia. ...


Heads of Government of Georgia

Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918-1921): Noe Ramishvili | Noe Zhordania The Prime Minister of Georgia is the most senior minister within the Cabinet of the Republic of Georgia. ... Anthem: Dideba Zetsit Kurtheuls (Praise Be To The Heavenly Bestower of Blessings) Map of the Democratic Republic of Georgia from November 1918 to May 1920. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Georgia_(1990-2004). ... Noe Ramishvili Noe Ramishvili (Georgian: ; his name is also transliterated as Noah or Noi) (1881 - December 7, 1930) was a Georgian politician and one of the leaders of the Menshevik wing of a Russian Social Democratic movement. ... Noe Zhordania Noe Zhordania (January 2, 1868 – January 11, 1953) was a Georgian journalist and politician. ...

Soviet era: as part of Flag of Transcaucasian SFSR Transcaucasian SFSR (1922-1936), Flag of Georgian SSR Georgian SSR (1936-1991): Sergey Kavtaradze | Polikarp Mdivani | Shalva Eliava | Filipp Makaradze | Levan Sukhishvili | German Mgaloblishvili | Levan Sukhishvili | Valerian Bakradze | Zakhary Chkhubianishvili | Zakhary Ketskhoveli | Valerian Bakradze | Givi Dzhavakhishvili | Zurab Pataridze | Dmitry Kartvelishvili | Otar Cherkeziya | Zurab Chkheidze | Nodari Chitanava | Tengiz Sigua Image File history File links Flag_of_Transcaucasian_SFSR.svg‎ Flag of the Transcaucasian SFSR File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Soviet Union Republics of the Soviet Union Estonian SSR Byelorussian SSR Kazakh SSR Turkmen SSR Karelo-Finnish SSR... The Transcaucasian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic was a short-lived (1922-1936) Soviet republic, consisting of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, which were traditionally known as the Transcaucasian Republics in the Soviet Union. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Georgian_SSR.svg The flag of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. ... State motto: პროლეტარ ყველა ქვეყნისა, შეერთდით! Official language Georgian since 1978 Capital Tbilisi Chairman of the Supreme Council Zviad Gamsakhurdia (at independence) Established In the USSR:  - Since  - Until February 25, 1921 December 30, 1922 April 9, 1991 Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 10th in former Soviet Union 69,700 km² -- Population  - Total (1989)  - Density Ranked... This does not cite its references or sources. ... Tengiz Sigua (b. ...

Georgia since 1991: Tengiz Sigua | Murman Omanidze* | Bessarion Gugushvili | Tengiz Sigua | Eduard Shevardnadze* | Otar Patsatsia | Niko Lekishvili | Vazha Lortkipanidze | Giorgi Arsenishvili | Avtandil Jorbenadze | Flag of Georgia Zurab Zhvania | Giorgi Baramidze* | Zurab Noghaideli
* denotes acting Motto: (Georgian) Strength is in Unity Anthem: (Freedom) Capital (and largest city)  Tbilisi Official languages Georgian (also Abkhaz within the Abkhazian Autonomous Republic) Government Unitary republic  - President Mikheil Saakashvili  - Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli Consolidation    - Establishment of first Georgian Kingdoms of Colchis and Iberia c. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Georgia_(1990-2004). ... Tengiz Sigua (b. ... Besarion Gugushvili (b. ... Tengiz Sigua (b. ... Avtandil Jorbenadze is a former State Minister of Georgia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Georgia. ... Zurab Zhvania Zurab Zhvania (Georgian: ზურაბ ჟვანია) (December 9, 1963–February 3, 2005) was a prominent Georgian politician and former Speaker of the Georgian Parliament. ... Giorgi Baramidze Giorgi Baramidze (born 1968 -) is a Georgian politician and current State Minister for Euro-Atlantic Integration. ... Zurab Noghaideli (Georgian: ზურაბ ნოღაიდელი) (born October 22, 1964) is a Georgian politician and the current Prime Minister of the nation. ...


  Results from FactBites:
 
Eduard Shevardnadze - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (2293 words)
Eduard Amvrosiyevich Shevardnadze (Georgian: ედუარდ შევარდნაძე, Russian: Эдуа́рд Амвро́сьевич Шевардна́дзе; pronounced ed-oo-ard am-vro-see-ye-vitch she-va-rd-nad-zuh) (born 25 January 1928) is a Georgian politician.
Shevardnadze joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1948 after two years as a Komsomol instructor and rose through the ranks to become a member of the Georgian Supreme Soviet in 1959.
It was estimated by outside observers that Shevardnadze's inner circle controlled as much 70 per cent of the economy: his wife edited and wrote for one of the country's major newspapers, and his daughter was the director of a film studio and one of the country's leading mobile phone networks.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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