Sam Brownback: “on a personal note, I knew Zurab Zhvania. I worked with him quite a bit. He was one of the original democracy advocates…”

“on a personal note, I knew Zurab Zhvania. I worked with him quite a bit. He was one of the original democracy advocates inside Georgia, a country that came out of the former Soviet Union, a wonderful man, with a great heart. He started out as an environmentalist. That is how he got active in the political system. He and Mr. Shevardnaze formed an alliance and moved the country toward democracy through a tumultuous time period. He was one of the lead architects of the Rose Revolution and democracy coming forward in Georgia. I cannot let this pass without noting what an incredible loss he is to Georgia. He would have been one of at least the top one to three people who make that country move to where it is today. They are suspicious circumstances under which he died--gas inhalation in an apartment. It appears to be natural causes, but there has been a lot of difficult political activity going on in Georgia--kidnappings and deaths that have taken place. I hope that was not the case. I have my own personal thoughts of him, and my sympathy goes out to his family--his wife and young children. He was 41 years old. He was a wonderful guy and he will be sorely missed in Georgia and around the world. I know his family will miss him dearly.”