IN WORDS OF JAVAKHK COMPATRIOTIC UNION CHAIRMAN, GEORGIA CONSTANTLY USES OPPORTUNITY TO PRESS ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 29 2006

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The policy carried on by Georgia
towards Armenia for many centuries went and now goes under the
slogan "if you can smother do it." Shirak Torosian, Chairman of
the Javakhk Compatriotic Union, expressed such an opinion at the
November 29 press conference. He said that the evidence of his words
is the fact of Georgia’s never involving Armenia in discussion in
connection with construction of the Kars-Akhalkalak railway. So,
in Sh.Torosian’s words, "our only argument of shaking our finger at
Georgia is Javakhk." In his words, Javakhk can be either a link of
Armenian-Georgian friendship "or if there is no Javakhk, we can state
that the rope tightens on our neck."

As Sh.Torosian affirmed, the importance of Javakhk problems is
conditioned first of all by the circumstance that currently the
only way connecting Armenia with the world is Georgia. In his words,
Iran has many problems with the outer world and cannot be a bridge
between Armenia and the outer world and Armenia’s blockade by Turkey
and Azerbaijan goes on.

The Chairman of the Javakhk Compatriotic Union said that Armenia
should carry on foreign policy proceeding from its own interests
"fitting these interests into the interests of superpowers so that
Armenians have only gain." In his words, Armenia should not announce
itself as an emphasized pro-Western or pro-Russian country.