The Georgian parliament approved the appointments of Tedo Dzhaparidze as foreign minister and Zurab Chiaberashvili chairman of the Central Elections Commission (CEC) at an extraordinary meeting on Sunday, Russian news agencies reported.  

Speaking at the meeting, Dzhaparidze voiced his support for establishing friendly relations with Russia.

"I regard as one of the most important tasks at the post of foreign minister, first and foremost, normalization of relations with Russia and then their elevation to a new qualitative level as well as establishment of truly good-neighborly and friendly relations with the Russian Federation," he told the lawmakers.

He also pledged to deepen strategic partnership with the United States.

Dzhaparidze, 57-year-old former Secretary of the Georgian National Security Council, took over the post from Irakly Menagarishvili, who resigned two days ago along with several ministers under the deposed President Eduard Shevardnadze regime.

Chiaberashvili, 31, stressed the necessity of absolute transparency in upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.

The main thing is "to observe the law during the elections," he said.

Chiaberashvili is the head of a non-government organization, which uncovered vote rigging in the Nov. 2 parliamentary elections that prompted the resignation of President Shevardnadze.

Chiaberashvili's appointment came two days after chairwoman of the CEC Nana Devdariani and all other members of the commission announced their resignations.

Georgia's interim parliament has confirmed several important administration appointments since the Supreme Court canceled the results of the parliament vote on Nov. 2 Tuesday. The lawmakers have decided to hold earlier presidential elections on Jan. 4, but failed to set the date for the new parliamentary poll.

(Xinhua News Agency December 1, 2003)