SHIRAK TOROSIAN: GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER CARRIES OUT "OSTRICH POLICY" IN JAVAKHK ISSUE

Noyan Tapan

F eb 23, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. Shirak Torosian, a member of
the RA National Assembly RPA faction, the Chairman of the Javakhk
compatriotic union, classed as "ostrich policy" the statement
Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze made in Yerevan that
"there are only socio-economic problems in Javakhk like in the whole
Georgia." S. Torosian said at the February 23 press conference that
besides the socio-economic problems mentioned by the Georgian Minister,
Armenians of Javakhk also have ethnic, language, educational-cultural,
and political problems. According to his observation, by disregarding
all these issues the Georgian authorities will only deepen the
Javakhh problem.

Touching upon G. Vashadze’s another statement that "people in Javakhk
live even better than in Kutayisi" S. Torosian said that it is not
thanks to the Georgian state but thanks to the Armenians of Javakhk. As
regards RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian’s statement that there
are no unsolvable problems in Armenian-Georgian relations, according
to the deputy, it is purely a duty statement.

Sevak Artsruni, the Chairman of the Yerkir union of NGOs of
compatriation of settling down, in his turn, touched upon the arrest
of the two Georgian Armenians adding that besides them, dozens of
Armenians are persecuted in Javakhk, but no one speaks about it.

Eduard Abrahamian, the head of the Mitk analytical center, said that
they intend to hold an action of protest with nearly 20 NGOs on
February 25 near the Embassy of Georgia in RA demanding releasing
the above mentioned persons. As S. Torosian added, the action is
sanctioned by Yerevan Mayor’s Office.