Georgian minister urged to resign his post

GEORGIA’S new interim president met security officials and told a key minister to quit yesterday after a “velvet revolution” toppled Eduard Shevardnadze.

A source close to the family of Mr Shevardnadze, and opposition officials, were quick to quash a report from Germany that the veteran leader had fled into exile there and said he was still living in Georgia.

Interim President Nino Burdzhanadze, former speaker of parliament, blamed Minister Avtandil Dzhorbenadze for Georgia's dire economic plight and for an election discredited by irregularities which triggered the anti-Shevardnadze protests.