SITUATION IN GEORGIA’S ARMENIAN-POPULATED REGION BACK TO NORMAL – AGENCY

Arminfo, Yerevan
4 Apr 06

Akhalkalaki, 4 April: The situation in the Armenian-populated
Samtskhe-Javakheti region of Georgia is gradually getting back
to normal.

After protest rallies and riots that followed the killing of ethnic
Armenian Gevork Gevorkyan in Tsalka District on 9 March, the life in
the region is “gradually getting back to normal”, A-info news agency
reported today.

The press service of the council of Armenian public organizations in
Samtskhe-Javakheti said that the Armenian population of the region
is waiting for a just verdict from Georgia’s law-enforcement agencies
on the killing of Gevork Gevorkyan. This is the reason the situation
in the region is currently calm, the press service said.

The Armenian population of Samtskhe-Javakheti has become more vigilant
and is trying not to yield to provocation. For instance, unnamed people
spread information, urging people to participate in a rally planned
to be held on a square in the town of Akhalkalaki on 16 March. But
no-one went to that rally.

The council of Armenian public organizations of Samtskhe-Javakheti
states that the rally had been planned by those who are trying to
destabilize the situation in the region, A-info reported.