CHAIRMAN OF STATE COMMISSION ON RESETTLEMENT OF MESKHET TURKS VISIT AKHALKALAK

AKHALKALAK, AUGUST 15, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Georgian
State Minister on Issues of Conflict Settlement in Georgia, Chairman
of the Georgian President-affiliated State Commission on Resettlement
of Meskhet Turks Georgy Khaindrava arrived in Akhalkalak on August
14. The visit is mainly related to becoming acquainted with the state
program on the resettlement of Meskhet Turks in Georgia. During
a meeting with the NGOs of Javakhk, G. Khaindrava noted that the
return of Meskhet Turks, however undesirable it is, has become an
obligation for Georgia. The minister also said that the returning
Meskhet Turks will become Georgian citizens and may live in any
place of the country they want. According to the agency “A-Info”,
taking the hint of the Georgian official, the representatives of
the Javakhk NGOs pointed out once again that no Turks used to live
in the Armenian-populated Akhalkalak of today’s Georgia, in the
regions of Ninotsminda, particularly, no Turks lived in the Armenian
villages of the Akhaltskha region, and Georgians now live in the areas
previously populated by them (the Aspindza and Adigen regions). For
this very reason, residents of Javakhk will not allow any Turk to
appear in their settlements. In the opinion of the Javakhk residents,
by the return of Meskhet Turks, the Georgian government is making an
attempt to change the region’s demography. G. Khaindrava said the he
will again pay a visit to the region with the aim of discussing the
program on resettlement of Meskhet Turks.