Georgian supporters of ousted Georgian President Zviad Gamsakhurdia blew up car of Deputy Prime Minister Alexsandr Kavsadze and kidnapped him and Kangug Gogua, head of the local administration. Kavsadze is also Chairman of the State Committee on Inter-Ethnic Relations and Security of Human Rights. The attack occured near the village of Kanti on the border of Tsalendzhikh and Chkhorotskulsk regions. The car was in the western area of Georgia, the stronghold of Gamsakhurdia, who was elected president in a landslide in May 1991. His opponents, however, had denounced him as a dictator and deposed him in January 1992, replacing him with former Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze. Reports conflicted as to whom was kidnapped. On july 10 INTERFAX was quoted by KYODO as saying that the driver was not killed but Kandid Gogua (chairman of the regional department of Chkhorotskulski region) was. The driver, the chief physician of the region, was also taken hostage. Kavsadze reportedly was going to negotiations with supporters of Gamsakhurdia. The hostages brother, Iosif, said that the kidnappers "wish to exchange Aleksandr for their people". On July 14 Kavsadzes staff driver was freed. On August 6 Acting Georgian Prime Minister Tengiz Sigua told the press that the kidnappers promised to release Kavsadze and deliver him by nightfall to the Abkhaz KGB (which did not happen despite the release from prison of 54 Gamsakhurdia supporters).
