SHIRAK TOROSYAN: JAVAKHK WON’T FOLLOW NAKHIJEVAN’S FATE

PanARMENIAN.Net
17.03.2010 13:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian National Assembly member Shirak Torosyan
said Armenians in Javakhk again suffer persecution on the threshold
of elections to the local self-government.

"Armenian activists are unreasonably summoned by police. Exploiting
Armenia’s dependence on Georgian transit routes, the Georgian
authorities exert pressure on the Armenian population in Javakhk.

Statements on friendly relations between the two countries are mere
formality. Yerevan and Tbilisi’s playing ostrich forced Javakheti
Armenians to think about autonomy. We won’t let Javakhk follow the
fate of Nakhijevan," he told reporters on Wednesday.

"The newly established coordination council on protection Javakheti
Armenians’ rights has developed an action plan. We will work with
Armenian organizations across the globe," Mr. Torosyan added.

He criticized the inferiority of the US State Department’s Country
Report on Human Rights Practices in Georgia, which mentions the arrest
of Vahagn Chakhalyan’s only.

As to opening of Upper Lars checkpoint, Mr. Torosyan said that Georgia
has much to gain from restoration of relations with Russia.