Ex-Chief of Abkhaz Government-in-Exile Passes Away

Tamaz Nadareishvili, 50, former chairman of the Tbilisi-based Abkhaz government-in-exile died with heart attack on late on August 31.

Tamaz Nadareishvili chaired the Supreme Council of Abkhazia, which is composed of Georgian members of the government that fled the breakaway region in 1993, for more than ten years.

He was known for his hard-line stance towards Abkhazia saying that diplomatic efforts of Tbilisi will never succeed if they are not backed up with force.

Nadareishvili was forced to resign in January, 2004 after losing a vote of confidence in the Supreme Council of Abkhazia.