ARMENIANS OF JAVAKHK SHOULD BECOME A FACTOR OF ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN FRIENDSHIP, SHIRAK TOROSIAN CONSIDERS
Noyan Tapan
Ma y 13, 2008
YEREVAN, MAY 13, NOYAN TAPAN. Today Georgia is carrying on policy of
driving Armenians away from Javakhk and Armenia does not use its all
possibilities to oppose to that policy. Shirak Torosian, a deputy of
the RA National Assembly, the Chairman of the Javakhk compatriotic
union, stated at the May 13 press conference. He considers that if
Armenia carries on more active policy aimed at solving the problems of
Armenians of Javakhk, the situation may change abruptly. S. Torosian
affirmed that we should not sacrifice interests of Armenians of
Javakhk for the sake of Armenian-Georgian friendship, but we should
make Armenians of Javakhk a factor for strengthening that friendship.
He said that Armenia provides educational and health assistance to
Javakhk, while it comes across serious obstacles in customs points
when transporting the charity cargoes. Therefore, in deputy’s opinion,
Armenia should sign an agreement with Georgia, under which the Armenian
side will stipulate its rights of assistance, aid to Armenians of
Javakhk, and the Georgian side its commitments of ensuring them.
According to S. Torosian, the problem of language remains the most
serious one in Javakhk. In his words, the Georgian authorities forcing
knowledge of Georgian to Armenians at the same time do not secure
conditions for studying that language. Besides, according to him, the
Georgian side declines Armenia’s proposal to open an Armenian-Georgian
University in Javakhk without any serious motivation.
S. Torosian affirmed that unless steps are undertaken in the direction
of solving the problems of Armenians of Javakhk, it is possible
that the Armenians of Javakhk will gradually leave Javakhk. Or,
in his words, "patience of Armenians of Javakhk will be exhausted:
Javakhk will burst and will start resisting"