Transcaucasian Anomaly And The Javakh Issue: Mini-Empires In The New

TRANSCAUCASIAN ANOMALY AND THE JAVAKH ISSUE: MINI-EMPIRES IN THE NEW REALITY

Regnum, Russia
Oct 10 2005

Recent developments in Akhalkalaki, a town in Georgia mostly populated
by Armenians, are just a single unit in the chain of controversies
surrounding Samtskhe-Javakheti Territory for 15 years of independent
development of the Georgian state. During this period the regional
media have repeatedly paid attention to the situation in the region:
contrary to all the official statements made by Tbilisi the situation
in the region remains constantly tense. Periods of growing tension
alternate with , but on the whole Samtskhe-Javakheti is situated in
a zone highly attractive for many various interests.

“Integration, not assimilation” initiative group by claiming to
grant autonomy to Armenian-populated districts put forward an idea
of establishing a new member of the Georgian federation.

“There will be only three autonomies in Georgia – Abkhazia,
Adzharia and Tskhinvali,” Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli
declared unambiguously six days after the claim was declared at the
Conference “Javakh status in Georgia’s state system” that took place
in Akhalkalaki on September 23-24.

However, the reality is that residents of Samtskhe-Javakheti Territory
has continued to claim for autonomy. It is impossible to connive at
the fact, neither it is appropriate to explain the existing tensions
with only poor social and economical conditions.

Exactly by the same way the situation in Nagorno Karabakh got out
of hand.

However, the reality is that residents of Samtskhe-Javakheti Territory
has continued to claim for autonomy. It is impossible to connive at
the fact, neither it is appropriate to explain the existing tensions
with only poor social and economical conditions.

Exactly by the same way the situation in Nagorno Karabakh got out
of hand.

Positions of Javakh Armenians could be denounced in some points, but
to do this a serious dialogue between Georgia and Armenia is needed.

There is no such dialogue now. Top officials of both countries prefer
not to touch the painful issues and tend to treat frequent appeals of
Armenians organizations to grant autonomy to Javakh as an initiative
of “hotheads” who do not reflect the public opinion. The danger of
the situation rests upon the fact that in terms of lack of an adequate
reaction to the existing tension in the region and absence of effort to
transmit the tension into the way of a constructive and controllable
dialogue the tension could be used by third parties, because nature
adhors a vacuum, especially in politics and moreover, in a key region
of South Caucasus, which is no doubt Samtskhe-Javakheti.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress