IGOR MURADIAN CONSIDERS THAT RA LEADERSHIP TRIES TO CONCEAL JAVAKHK PROBLEM TO PLEASE WESTERN COMMUNITY

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 17 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 17, NOYAN TAPAN. "NATO, expert community of Europe
and U.S. very throughly study the situation in Samtskhe-Javakheti. A
task has been set – not to permit problem’s internationalization and
to suppress it. And Armenia has some commitments towards the western
community, which strives for considering the events to please the
Georgian authorities." Political scientist Igor Muradian declared
this at the October 17 press conference at the National Press Club
organized within the framework of the program titled "Actual Subject,"
commenting upon the situation formed currently in Samtskhe-Javakheti.

In the political scientist’s opinion, the Armenian leadership tries to
conceal the problems in this Georgian region populated with Armenians,
to please the western community. Announcing that he has no document
about possible Armenian-Georgian secret agreement, I.Muradian meanwhile
said that it would not take much time to reach such kind of agreement,
as this could also be an oral one.

As for the issue, what steps can yield good results, I.Muradian said
that we should not permit to conceal the Javakhk problem. Whereas,
in his words, currently the Armenian authorities have a single goal,
to hold "on the surface," as power crisis, in fact, emerged in Armenia.

As regards real possibility of Georgia’s joining NATO in the near
future, in I.Muradian’s words, the events between Russia and Georgia
delayed the prospect of Georgia’s joining NATO for even more.

Besides, in his words, this issue will not be solved, until the
problem of Ukraine’s joining NATO is solved and the issue of the
Black Sea is determined.

Returning to the subject of the recent local self-government elections
in Samtskhe-Javakheti, I.Muradian declared that there is no doubt that
the United Javakhk won the elections. As for the arrest of Vahagn
Chakhalian, member of Board of the United Javakhk democratic bloc
by Armenian law enforcement bodies, I.Muradian declared that the
initiators of this force pressure are intimidated and do not know
how to come out of the formed situation. He called for releasing
V.Chakhalian.