Rice, Saakashvili Hold Phone Talk

Adam Ereli, Deputy Spokesman of the U.S. Department of State, said at a news briefing on February 3 that United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to extend her condolences over the death of Zurab Zhvania.

?Prime Minister Zhvania was a catalyst for democratic change in Georgia. He was a dynamic leader and he was a friend of the United States,? Adam Ereli said.

He also said, while answering question whether the U.S. believes that Zhvania?s death was an accident, that ?the Georgians are investigating the incident; however, all the indications at this point are that it was exactly that, a tragic accident.?