THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN DJAVAKHQ: CHALLENGES AND RESPONSES
"Noravank" Foundation
03 February 2009
On January 30 in "Noravank" foundation round table meeting "The latest
developments in Djavakhq: challenges and responses" was arranged.
Different experts, analysts and representatives of non-government
organizations took part in that round table meeting.
The director of "Noravank’ foundation Gagik Harutyunyan delivered
the introduction. G. Harutyunyan mentioned the importance of the
problem of the Armenians in Djavakhq and said that the war in the
August 2008 showed that the Republic of Armenia is very important
factor for the security of Georgia. He also pointed out some key
omissions in the approach to the above mentioned problem, i.e. the
absence of conceptualization, overall information and researches on
that issue. "It looks like the authorities show enough political
will concerning those problems, but it is also necessary to boost
overall and deep researches in different scientific institutions",
– said Harutyunyan.
The expert of "Noravank" foundation Tamara Vardanyan presented the view
of Armenians of Tbilisi to the problems of the Armenians of Djavakhq.
The contributor told that the most common perception of the problem
reduces itself to the opinion that Armenians of Tbilisi occurred in
the situation of hostages because of that problem with Djavakhq. The
contributor mentioned that there is also an opinion, which is more
perceptible and realistic and according to it Armenians of Djavakhq
are security assurance for Armenians of Tbilisi.
The report by the expert of "Noravank" foundation Vahram Hovyan was
devoted to one of the main issues, which is periodically arisen
in different social and political quarters, i.e. the probable
return of Meskhetian Turks to Georgia. He presented information
on their population, identity and the possibility of their return
to Georgia. The spokesman said that in accordance with the official
Georgian sources their consulates in different countries had received
about 900 claims from Meskhetian Turks who wanted to return, but
according to Russian and Azerbaijani press that number is bigger.
The report by Robert Tatoyan, the program coordinator of "Erkir" union,
touched on the issue of the problem of Armenians of Djavakhq in the
context of the norms of international law. The claims of Armenians
of Djavakhq are in the field of regulations of international law
on the protection of the rights of ethnic minorities. The spokesman
presented measures carried by "Erkir" union, touched upon the arrests
in Djavakhq, judicial violations and the moral atmosphere caused by it.
The reports were followed by active discussions. A number of
stereotypes, misunderstandings and mistakes, which are peculiar
to different Armenian social and political quarters, were poin ted
out. Some of them were marked out:
1. Allegedly there is no problem of protection of Armenians in Djavakhq
2. The raising of Djavakhq problem will damage Artsakh issue
3. Georgia has powerful leverage on Armenia
4. Georgia’s ally countries allegedly will not give a way to the
demands of Armenians of Djavakhq and e.t.c.
The experts uniquely denied those wrong perceptions.
Summarizing the discussion T. Vardanyan formulated following results:
The moment came when we should publicly accept on the analytical,
research and state levels that there is the factor of Djavakhq problem
in the relations between Armenia and Georgia.
When we accept the existence of that problem we should reconsider
our tactics, which is now situational. It should be preventive.
Non-government organizations has depleted their resources as there
have been many seminars, discussions and press-conferences arranged
but there are no changes for the better. Thus we need state approach
to this problem and state’s support for the public opinion, which
has already been formed, especially if Georgian side’s actions are
rather coordinated, consistent and are implemented on state level.