GENOCIDE MAY SOUND TOO RADICAL AS A POLITICAL TERM, BUT HISTORICAL FACT SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED – GEORGIAN POLITICIAN

Tert.am
10.06.11

On April 19, just a few days before the Armenian Genocide Remembrance
Day, Free Georgia political movement released a statement on the
Armenian Genocide, expressing support to what it called the final
establishment of historical truth.

Speaking to Tert.am, the leader of the movement, Kakha Kukava,
stresssed the importance of viewing the issue in the humanistic rather
than the political light. Nevrtheless, he expressed willingness to
raise the issue of the Armenian nation’s tragedy in the Georgian
society, though he was concernted that such approach night meet the
incumbent authorities’ unwelcome response.

“What are your expectations of the recent opposition rallies in
Georgia? Do you think opposition forces have chances of a significant
progress (early parliamentery or presidential elections)”?

“I think it’s too early to discuss the possibility of early elections.

A top priority right now is to prevent violence. Tens of our supporters
are still missing, hundreds are detained. The rest are intimidated
every day by different formal or informal units. So for us, a priority
is to prevent this process with international support and to conduct
independent investigation of May 26, 2011. After that could be raised
issue of elections as a solution to current crisis.

“Do you think the recent developments in Georgia can in any way affect
neighboring countries, and if so, how?”

“I don’t think the domestic developments will have any impact
on Armenia or Azerbaijan, as our countries are politically very
detached from each other. But I think the United States support for
Saakashvili’s regime will finally discredit American values in this
region. if former Bush administration had motivation to establish
control over whole post-Soviet area. The incumbent administration
does not have such motivation and I think it will have an impact on
all of us.”

“What is your opinion on the Armenian Government’s plan to open a
General Consulate in Javakhk? What do you think is the reason behind
Sakashvili administration’s failure to approve that idea?”

“I hail the idea; that’s very good. There are certainly problems in
Javakhk, and those problems require modern, European-style political
solutions (including Armenian consulate), as opposed to terror
or separatism. Unfortunately, Saakashvili does not understand the
Georgian majority’s interest in this country, and no wonder he cannot
understand interests of Armenian or any other minority. By the way,
the majority of local Armenians voted for him in January 2008.”

Are the demands of Javakhk Armenians for an internal autonomy
justified, and why?

“Autonomy is a very broad notion. Our party does not support idea of,
and demand for, political autonomy. We express support of: 1) local
self-government of the Samtskhe – Javakheti region, as well as other
regions of Georgia. Governors should be elected, not appointed. 2)
cultural rights, e.g. Georgian government should finance bilingual
education in the regions, media etc. We cooperate with the Armenian
community, but unfortunately that makes Saakashvili (e.g. Rustavi 2
TV) consider our party Russian-inspired. Anyway, I am sure we will
succeed in our efforts to involve the Armenian in Georgia’s public
life without any obstacle.”

“Do you think the statements by the political parties “Free Georgia”
and “Industry will save Georgia” received any response by the Georgian
society?”

“No, because all the government controlled all the media outlets,
preventing such news from beinmade public. Journalists were not event
allowed to attend the session in Tbilisi. But we are going to lobby
this issue to attract the Georgian society’s attention. By the way,
the discussion was attended by diplomats from European countries.”

“Do you think the recognition of the Armenian Genocide conflicts
with the interests of Georgia, given that Turkey is the country’s
key economic partner?”

“Sure. Georgia is a small country, and we do not want to have any
problems with Turkey. So may be the concept of Genocide is too radical
(politically), but the historical fact should not be ignored.

“What do you think of the Georgian Parliament’s recognition of the
Circassians Genocide?”

“The Saakashvili regime became interested in the history of North
Caucasians only after the 2008 Russian-Georgian war. Before that,
Saakashvili never remembered anything about the Circassians or any
other North Caucasian etnic group. What’s even more, despite protests
of the oposition and human rights defenders in 2004-05, he successfully
carried out the displacemnt of Georgia’s Chechen resdidents to Russia,
publicly declaring them “Chechen outlaws”. It’s noteworthy that
this decision had no public or scientific justification, and had
received no support by the opposition or the public at large. It’s
not that easy to interpret such discriminatory approach to what is
termed as genocide, given that the Georgian parliament continuously
rejected similar requests by the Armenian society. Such decision
re-affirmed yet another time Saakashvili’s goal to increase the
tension with Russia. In addition, provocations may serve as a cause or
pretext, for a new series of political escalation between Russia and
Georgia. This calls for comparison with the party’s steps to restore
Georgian exports to Russia.”