CHICHIASHVILI CHARGED WITH GRAVE CRIMES WILL BE TAKEN TO TBILISI FROM MOSCOW

TBILISI, January 21, 2004. /RIA Novosti/. A special flight will deliver Shota Chichiashvili detained by the Russian law enforcement bodies in summer 2003 to Tbilisi from Moscow on January 21 evening. Georgian National Security Minister Valery Khaburdzania will accompany him, head of the public relations department of the Georgian National Security Ministry Nika Laliashvili told Georgia-News.

Chichiashvili is charged with kidnapping Spanish businessmen Antonio Tremino and Francisco Rodriguez and British banker Peter Shaw and other crimes.

Valery Khaburdzania and Georgian Prosecutor General Irakly Okruashvili arrived in Moscow on Wednesday morning.

Okruashvili is to spend some more days in Moscow to discuss with his Russian colleagues the detention and extradition to Georgia of Levan Mamaladze, the ex-governor of the Kvemo Kartli region. Mamaladze is charged with embezzlement and financial machination.

On Wednesday Valery Khaburdzania and Irakly Okruashvili met with Russian Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov. They discussed this issue and detentions and extraditions to Georgia of its citizens who shelter in the Russian Federation.