File photo of Georgia's former president Eduard Shevardnadze. [Photo/Agencies]

TBILISI - Eduard Shevardnadze, Georgia's former president and former Soviet foreign minister, died Monday at the age of 86 after a prolonged illness.

After having served as the de-facto head of state since the 1992 ouster of Zviad Gamsakhurdia, Shevardnadze was elected with a support of 74 percent in 1995 as Georgia's second president.

He was forced to resign on Nov 23, 2003 by street protest rallies which have since been known as the Rose Revolution.