Few Americans have heard of Zurab Zhvania, but his death on February 3, apparently due to a gas poisining caused by a malfunctioning heater, is not just a personal tragedy but could have serious policy implications for America and Russia.

Zhvania, only 41 when he died, was the Republic of Georgia's prime minister and co-architect, along with President Mikheil Saakashvili, of the Rose Revolution that brought true democracy to Georgia a year ago. These events helped inspire the recent Orange Revolution in Ukraine.

Zhvania, whom Mr. Saakashvili described as his "closest friend and biggest ally," was the hands-on manager of Georgia's attempt to climb out of the inherited economic mess. He was a true reformer, setting up one of the first independent political parties in the former Soviet Union, getting democratically elected to Parliament, rising to Speaker, and selflessly resigning his post to force the ouster of a corrupt minister in Georgia's previous government.

All this occurred before Zhvania risked his life and joined his friends Mikheil Saakashvili and Nino Burjanadze in organizing three weeks of peaceful but massive protests of a stolen parliamentary election in November 2003. Mr. Saakashvili soon was president, Mrs. Burjanadze the new Speaker of Parliament, and Zhvania the prime minister. Zhvania's conciliatory style complemented Mr. Saakashvili's bold leadership.

Together, they were dealing with Georgia's most critical problem -- and one of great importance to both Russia and the United States: restoring full Georgian sovereignty over the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, where Vladimir Putin's Russia supports local separatists.

Just before his death (as of this writing, there is no evidence of foul play) Zhvania was working with Mr. Saakashvili on a South Ossetia peace initiative and planned a new approach to the even more difficult problem of Abkhazia, Georgia's Black Sea coastal region, control of which Moscow does not wish to lose.

I knew Zhvania well for more than a decade and will miss his friendship, wit and wisdom. But the loss is more than personal. Georgia must regain control of its "lost" territories to establish the stability its citizens crave, Mr. Putin claims to seek, and the volatile region needs. For Mr. Putin, reeling from events in Ukraine, this is dangerous territory. For Washington, seeking to balance good relations with Moscow and to encourage "freedom and democracy," it is critical this problem be handled peacefully. Zhvania was vital to that. Now the burden falls even more heavily on President Saakashvili.