Shevardnadze quits after weeks of protest
Mr Shevardnadze flew out of Georgia late last night, hours after stepping down, news agencies reported. He flew out on his presidential plane, which had been made ready hours earlier, RIA Novosti agency said.
"I am leaving," 75-year-old Shevardnadze said after meeting with the leaders of the opposition, whose supporters staged three weeks of almost daily protests demanding that he step down as leader of the tiny Caucasian nation.
"I have never betrayed my people and that's why I think that as president, I should submit my resignation," Mr Shevardnadze said.
A presidential election will be held within 45 days, an opposition figure said.
"Under the constitution, a presidential election should be held in 45 days," said former parliament speaker Zurab Zhvaniya.
Mr Shevardnadze handed over power to former parliament speaker Nino Burjanadze in the climax to mounting protests after a disputed November 2 parliamentary poll that tapped into widespread dissatisfaction with his rule.
"President Shevardnadze has resigned," opposition leader Mikhail Saakashvili said on Rustavi-2 television as he announced Mr Burjanadze's appointment as acting president.
"He has taken a manly step by leaving office without spilling any blood."
Just before, inside his residence outside Tbilisi where Mr Shevardnadze had agreed to resign after meeting the opposition leaders along with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, he cut a lonely figure.
He was forced to flee to his residence outside Tbilisi on Saturday after angry protestors stormed the parliament, had sought to defuse the crisis yesterday by promising talks on new parliamentary and presidential elections.
But Mr Saakashvili said the country's army and security forces had already abandoned Mr Shevardnadze, who was due to end his second term in 2005.
Yesterday, outside the parliament, red flares lit up the night sky where some 10,000 protestors let off fireworks in celebration as the three-week long rally turned into a huge street party.
"Today is a celebration," said Tristan, an opposition party activist.
"It is our first day without Shevardnadze for 30 years."
