Georgians in Tsalka demand disarming of the local Armenians

Batumi News
May 11 2004

Officials of the Armenian Embassy in Georgia have not commented yet
on the incident between the local Georgians and Armenian population
in the Tsalka region on May 9.

On the statement of the Armenian Embassy, they will clear with
their stance over the issue later today. The officials indicated,
this issue lies within the Georgian internal affaire and Armenia is
not going active involvement into it.

On May 11 the Georgians, living in the Tsalka region, rallied in
front of the State Chancellery, Tbilisi, and demanded meeting with
the President Saakashvili over the disarmament issue of the Armenian
population, domiciled in Tsalka. The rally participants said almost
all the Armenian families keep firearms, what stirs concerns among
the Georgians in the region.

There is a pending threat, that the frequented conflicts in the Kveda
Kartli region may turn into the armed clashes. Notably, on May 9,
on the Tsakla stadium, the argument, started among the football fans,
grew into the brawl. Scores were reported injured.

Georgian government deployed in Kvemo Kartli the regional police and
interior forces after the incident.