The_AT Surprise_NN1 Ending_VVG to_II the_AT Rony_NN1 Fuchs_VVZ Affair_NN1 In_II October_NPM1 2010_MC ,_, oil_NN1 trader_NN1 Rony_NP1 Fuchs_NP1 traveled_VVD to_II the_AT Black_NP1 Sea_NNL1 resort_NN1 of_IO Batumi_NN1 at_II the_AT official_JJ invitation_NN1 of_IO the_AT Georgian_JJ government_NN1 ._. 
The_AT Israeli_JJ financier_NN1 thought_VVD the_AT visit_NN1 would_VM result_VVI in_II the_AT settlement_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 $100_NNU million_NNO commercial_JJ battle_NN1 he_PPHS1 had_VHD been_VBN waging_VVG with_IW the_AT former_DA Soviet_JJ republic_NN1 for_IF almost_RR 15_MC years_NNT2 ._. 
That_DD1 dispute_NN1 is_VBZ now_RT resolved_VVN ,_, but_CCB not_XX the_AT way_NN1 that_CST Fuchs_NP1 had_VHD hoped_VVN ._. 
Rather_CS21 than_CS22 negotiate_VVI a_AT1 compromise_NN1 in_II the_AT ordinary_JJ fashion_NN1 ,_, the_AT Georgians_NN2 threw_VVD Fuchs_NP1 and_CC an_AT1 Israeli_JJ colleague_NN1 ,_, Zeev_NP1 Frenkiel_NP1 ,_, into_II prison_NN1 ,_, accusing_VVG them_PPHO2 of_IO attempting_VVG to_TO bribe_VVI Georgian_JJ officials_NN2 during_II an_AT1 earlier_JJR meeting_NN1 in_II a_AT1 luxury_JJ hotel_NN1 room_NN1 in_II Istanbul_NP1 ._. 
Georgian_JJ agents_NN2 had_VHD secretly_RR videotaped_VVN the_AT booze-soaked_JJ gathering_NN1 ,_, during_II which_DDQ Fuchs_NP1 agreed_VVD to_TO return_VVI $7_NNU million_NNO to_II the_AT officials_NN2 in_II an_AT1 under-the-table_JJ side_NN1 payment_NN1 ._. 
Fuchs_NN2 and_CC Frenkiel_NP1 claimed_VVD they_PPHS2 were_VBDR entrapped_VVN in_II a_AT1 scheme_NN1 by_II the_AT Georgians_NN2 to_TO escape_VVI or_CC reduce_VVI the_AT country_NN1 's_GE debt_NN1 to_II Fuchs_NP1 related_VVD to_II the_AT canceling_NN1 of_IO oil_NN1 pipeline_NN1 interests_NN2 he_PPHS1 had_VHD acquired_VVN in_II Georgia_NP1 in_II the_AT early_JJ 1990s_MC2 ._. 
In_II April_NPM1 2011_MC ,_, Fuchs_NP1 and_CC Frenkiel_NP1 were_VBDR convicted_VVN in_II a_AT1 Tbilisi_NP1 courtroom_NN1 and_CC sentenced_VVN to_II seven_MC and_CC six-and-a-half_MF years_NNT2 behind_II bars_NN2 ,_, respectively_RR ._. 
The_AT case_NN1 drew_VVD diplomatic_JJ protests_NN2 from_II Israel_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 key_JJ ally_NN1 of_IO Georgia_NP1 ,_, and_CC underscored_VVD the_AT continuing_JJ danger_NN1 of_IO doing_VDG business_NN1 in_II former_DA Soviet_JJ lands_NN2 ._. 
Behind-the-scenes_JJ negotiations_NN2 continued_VVD even_RR as_CSA Fuchs_NP1 's_GE defenders_NN2 and_CC Georgian_JJ officials_NN2 insisted_VVD publicly_RR that_CST they_PPHS2 would_VM stand_VVI on_II principle_NN1 ._. 
On_II Dec._NPM1 2_MC ,_, Georgia_NP1 announced_VVD a_AT1 resolution_NN1 :_: President_NNB Mikheil_NP1 Saakashvili_NP1 pardoned_VVD Fuchs_NP1 ,_, 61_MC ,_, and_CC Frenkiel_NP1 ,_, 65_MC ,_, in_II a_AT1 deal_NN1 that_CST allowed_VVD them_PPHO2 to_TO return_VVI to_II Israel_NP1 immediately_RR ._. 
The_AT Georgian_JJ government_NN1 also_RR said_VVD it_PPH1 would_VM pay_VVI Fuchs_NN2 about_RG $37_NNU million_NNO to_TO resolve_VVI his_APPGE claim_NN1 ._. 
"_" Upon_II a_AT1 request_NN1 from_II the_AT Israeli_JJ government_NN1 ,_, as_RG well_RR as_CSA from_II the_AT Israeli_JJ President_NN1 personally_RR ,_, taking_VVG into_II consideration_NN1 the_AT convicts_NN2 '_GE age_NN1 and_CC their_APPGE health_NN1 condition_NN1 ,_, the_AT Georgian_JJ President_NN1 decided_VVD to_TO pardon_VVI them_PPHO2 ,_, "_" Saakashvili_NP1 's_GE spokeswoman_NN1 ,_, Manana_NP1 Manjgaladze_NP1 ,_, told_VVD reporters_NN2 on_II Dec._NPM1 2_MC ._. 
Fuchs_NP1 's_GE main_JJ Georgian_JJ defense_NN1 attorney_NN1 ,_, Archil_NP1 Kbilashvili_NP1 ,_, confirmed_VVD the_AT account_NN1 ._. 
"_" The_AT financial_JJ dispute_NN1 is_VBZ over_RP ,_, "_" the_AT lawyer_NN1 said_VVD via_II e-mail_NN1 ._. 
"_" Georgia_NP1 agreed_VVD to_TO pay_VVI about_RG $37_NNU million_NNO ,_, and_CC &lsqb;_( Fuchs_NP1 &rsqb;_) accepted_VVD that_DD1 ._. "_" 
Beyond_II that_DD1 ,_, Kbilashvili_NP1 said_VVD he_PPHS1 could_VM not_XX comment_VVI because_II21 of_II22 a_AT1 confidentiality_NN1 agreement_NN1 with_IW the_AT Georgian_JJ government_NN1 ._. 
Fuchs_NN2 arrived_VVN at_II Sde_NP1 Dov_NP1 Airport_NN1 north_ND1 of_IO Tel_NP1 Aviv_NP1 on_II the_AT same_DA day_NNT1 the_AT agreement_NN1 was_VBDZ announced_VVN ._. 
"_" It_PPH1 feels_VVZ great_JJ to_TO come_VVI back_RP ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 said_VVD ,_, according_II21 to_II22 the_AT Israeli_JJ newspaper_NN1 Haaretz_NP1 ._. 
"_" The_AT pardon_NN1 was_VBDZ granted_VVN following_II mediation_NN1 by_II senior_JJ Israeli_JJ diplomatic_JJ officials_NN2 ,_, as_II31 well_II32 as_II33 efforts_NN2 on_II41 the_II42 part_II43 of_II44 Foreign_JJ Minister_NN1 Avigdor_NP1 Lieberman_NP1 ,_, "_" Haaretz_NP1 added_VVD ._. 
In_II a_AT1 statement_NN1 ,_, a_AT1 spokesman_NN1 for_IF Lieberman_NP1 invited_VVD his_APPGE Georgian_JJ counterpart_NN1 to_TO visit_VVI Israel_NP1 to_TO repair_VVI strained_JJ relations_NN2 ._. 
Fuchs_NP1 's_GE dealings_NN2 in_II Georgia_NP1 date_NN1 to_II the_AT early_JJ 1990s_MC2 ,_, when_CS he_PPHS1 and_CC a_AT1 Greek_JJ partner_NN1 ,_, Ioannis_NP1 Kardassopoulos_NP2 ,_, obtained_VVD the_AT rights_NN2 to_TO build_VVI an_AT1 oil_NN1 pipeline_NN1 across_II Georgia_NP1 ._. 
In_II March_NPM1 2010_MC an_AT1 arbitration_NN1 panel_NN1 in_II London_NP1 ruled_VVD that_CST the_AT Tbilisi_NP1 government_NN1 owed_VVD Fuchs_NP1 and_CC Kardassopoulos_NN2 $98_NNU million_NNO ,_, plus_II interest_NN1 ,_, for_IF expropriating_VVG the_AT oil_NN1 concession_NN1 in_II the_AT mid-1990s_MC2 ._. 
The_AT settlement_NN1 allowed_VVD Georgia_NP1 to_TO avoid_VVI further_RRR public_JJ airing_NN1 of_IO its_APPGE dealings_NN2 with_IW Fuchs_NN2 in_II additional_JJ arbitration_NN1 proceedings_NN2 scheduled_VVN for_IF this_DD1 month_NNT1 ._. 
Discussing_VVG the_AT pardon_NN1 ,_, Georgia_NP1 's_GE Deputy_NN1 Justice_NN1 Minister_NN1 ,_, Tina_NP1 Burjaliani_NP1 ,_, said_VVD Georgia_NP1 's_GE liability_NN1 had_VHD grown_VVN to_II $110_NNU million_NNO ,_, according_II21 to_II22 Civil_JJ Georgia_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 news_NN1 website_NN1 ._. 
Casting_VVG perhaps_RR unintended_JJ light_NN1 on_II her_APPGE government_NN1 's_GE motivation_NN1 ,_, Burjaliani_NP1 added_VVD that_CST the_AT settlement_NN1 helped_VVD Georgia_NP1 "_" to_TO save_VVI about_RG $70_NNU million_NNO ._. "_" 
