Civil Georgia, Georgia
Dec 28 2004
Saakashvili Travels to Akhalkalaki
Saakashvili visited on December 28 Akhalkalaki, town in southern
Georgian region of Samtskhe-Javakheti, which is predominately
populated by ethnic Armenians.
During the meeting with the local population in the center of
Akhalkalaki President Saakashvili spoke about the necessity of
integration of the ethnic Armenian population within the state.
`Our Armenian population is real patriot, which needs more attention
and care. You should be integrated but with preservation of your
language and your culture. I know that here are many problems but we
will solve them if we stand together,’ Mikheil Saakashvili said.
He said that construction of new high connecting Tbilisi with
Akhalkalaki will be launched next year. `We have already invested
funds for this project,’ he added.
Saakashvili also said that scholarships will be available for those
students willing to continue studying in the Tbilisi universities.