REPORTS ON DEMANDS OF AZERBAIJANIS RESIDING IN GEORGIA IS PROVOCATIVE: AZERBAIJANI AMBASSADOR

Trend News Agency
Aug 29 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 29 August / Trend News corr. J.Babayeva / The
Azerbaijani Ambassador to Georgia denies reports on Azerbaijanis’
demand for autonomy in that country.

"Reports on the demand of Azerbaijanis residing in Georgia for
autonomy is of provocation character and such news are spread to bring
Azerbaijanis into definite games," Namig Aliyev, the Azerbaijani
Ambassador to Georgia, told Trend News over telephone from Tbilisi
on 29 August.

Some media reports urged on territorial claims by national minorities
residing in Georgia after Russia’s recognition of independencies of
South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

The Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev signed a decree to recognize
independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on 26 August.

"Azerbaijanis never demanded autonomy from Georgia. They are citizens
of Georgia and intend to live in within the state in future, as well,"
he said.

According to unofficial data, about 500,000 Azerbaijanis reside in
Georgia, especially in Kvemo-Kartli (Borchali) Region.

Councils of the Armenian public organizations in Samtskhe-Javakheti
and Kvemo Kartli made a statement to get status of sovereign states
within Federal Georgia with large autonomy rights of self-government
for Samtskhe-Javakheti and other areas populated by Armenians.