STATEMENT: POLICY PURSUED BY GEORGIA CONTRADICTS LOGIC OF POLITICAL PROCESS IN SOUTH CAUCASUS

Regnum, Russia
Dec 25 2006

On December 25, a round-table discussion was held in Yerevan, Armenia,
under the title "Georgia’s Policy and regional safety" organized by
Mitk Analytical Center. The panel adopted a statement on results of
the discussion. REGNUM publishes its full text.

"Participants of the round-table discussion, considering the situation
in South Caucasus as extremely unstable and explosive, taking into
account the long lasting ethnical political conflicts in the region,
realizing the responsibility of the countries of the region and their
leaders, and also participants of regional process in the person
of world powers, recognizing the inalienable right of a nation for
peaceful and creative development, and also for a free choice of their
historical fate, have to announce that the policy pursued by current
Georgian authorities contradicts logic of the international political
process in South Caucasus, historical trends in the region; creates
an atmosphere of confrontation and threat to the balance of forces
in region; contradicts interests of Armenia, creating insurmountable
difficulties in development of natural economical, communicational and
humanitarian relations with their strategic partner Russia; damages
the traditionally good neighborly relations between the nations of
Armenia and Georgia; undermines the rights and freedoms of Armenians
and other national minorities living in the territory of Georgia,
creating an atmosphere of intolerance inside Georgia itself and in
relations with neighboring countries.

The participants of the round table discussion are calling upon
exerting pressure upon President M. Saakashvili and other Georgian
leaders so that they could take a sober view of the situation in their
country and in the region in general; build relations with Armenia on
the basis of good neighborhood and mutual benefit; pursue a policy not
contradicting national interests of other peoples and the countries in
the region; demonstrate tolerance and respect to rights and freedoms of
all people living in Georgia, providing implementation of international
norms and requirements on protection of rights of national minorities."