BAYBURDIAN INSTIGATES HATRED BETWEEN ARMENIANS AND GEORGIANS, COA OF JAVAKHK DECLARES

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 28 2005

AKHALKALAK, SEPTEMBER 28, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Council
of Armenian NGOs of Samtskhe-Javakhk made a statement, in which it
opposed the statements of Deputy of Georgian parliament Van Bayburdian
in connection with the third public forum of Samtskhe-Javakhk held
on September 24 in Akhalkalak.

In particular, Van Bayburdian expressed an opinion that the proposal
made by the forum regarding giving autonomy to Javakhk is ungrounded
and the Georgian power gave all authorities for ruling on the spot
to Akhalkalak and Ninotsminda.

Blaming Van Bayburdian for “incompetent statements and indecent”
steps, the Council of Armenian NGOs of Samtskhe-Javakhk persuades him
to study the Georgian legislation and then declare what authorities
Akhalkalak and Ninotsminda have. “Van Bayburdian must also know that
the resolution adopted by the forum refers to all the settlements of
Samtskhe-Javakhk and Kvemo-Kartli populated with Armenians and not
only to 2 regions,” the statement spread by the A-Info agency read.

The Council highlighted that the resolution adopted by the third public
forum of Samtskhe-Javakhk suggests giving such a status to Javakhk
in Georgian state structure which is suggested to South Ossetia by
the Georgian authorities. “If the authorities are ready to give the
widest autonomy to 40 thousand Ossetians living in South Ossetia, so
150-200 thousand Armenians living compactly in Georgia also deserve
autonomy, especially as they have always observed the laws and never
raised arms against the state,” the document read.

The Council is convinced that the bases of complicated situation in
Javakhk are mainly and first of all political and “in this respect
also Van Bayburdian living far from Javakhk and being unaware of
Javakhk problems misunderstood the situation.”

“It’s still obscure how the person praising Shevardnadze’s power and
considering it irreplaceable since the days of Soviet Georgia, appeared
in independent Georgia in Sahakashvili’s team having overthrown the
very Shevardnadze. The Council is convinced that Van Bayburdian is
a puppet in the hands of some dark forces and proceeding from his
own interests he can instigate destabilization of the situation and
hatred in Armenian-Georgian friendship,” the statement read.