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JAVAKHK - A TIME BOMB
Karine Ter-Sahakyan
PanARMENIAN.Net
March 23, 2012
If Georgia becomes a NATO member, a military base will be installed
in Javakhk and, no doubt, will be staffed by Turkish troops.
Situation in the Armenian-populated region of Georgia,
Samtskhe-Javakheti has never been quiet, but in recent years
in connection with the intention of Georgia to join NATO and the
tension in relations with Russia concern has been stirred up among
the Armenian population. Russia's Diaspora of Javakhk openly declares
that if Georgia joins NATO, Javakheti, now part of Georgia, will
demand independence.
March 23, 2012 PanARMENIAN.Net - Anxiety of the Javakhketis is
understandable - if Georgia becomes a NATO member, a military base
will be installed in Javakhk and, no doubt, will be staffed by
Turkish troops. This means that Armenian population will be forced
to emigrate from their historic homeland in large numbers, or secede
from Georgia, i.e. start another local war, because Georgia, having
lost a considerable part of its territory, will hang by its eyelids to
Javakhk. In this case Tbilisi will receive assistance from Baku and
Ankara, and it will clearly be difficult for Javakheti Armenians to
rely on Russia. Under these circumstances Armenia is a bad ally due to
the unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Currently Yerevan is simply
unable to provide armed or other assistance to Javakheti. Moreover,
if the situation develops by this scenario, Armenia will certainly lose
contact with the outside world, and there will only be one land route
via Iran. So, Yerevan just cannot afford to get involved in another
conflict for safety reasons, although Javakhetis blame the Armenian
authorities for their indifference to their troubles. However, this
does not mean that people of the region should not be supported.
Support is essential in any case. The policy of official Tbilisi
in this respect leaves much to be desired - the current president
continues the tradition of Zviad Gamsakhurdia, who proclaimed "Georgia
for Georgians". It is possible that the constitution of Georgia be
amended, and like Turkey, everyone without exception be recorded as
Georgians, for... no nation, no problems.
Meanwhile, Tbilisi, already accustomed to see in all of her troubles
the "hand of Kremlin", directly accuses Russia of "speculation" on the
situation in the Armenian region of Samtskhe-Javakheti. According
to Tbilisi, there is no threat of formation of an independent
state in this region, and certain forces in Russia are behind such
statements, Deputy Foreign Minister Nino Kalandadze said."Last week,
representatives of the so-called "Javakhk Diaspora in Russia" released
a statement via media, saying that a "Javakh state" may appear on the
territory of Georgia if â~@~Kâ~@~Kthe country joins NATO. It is obvious
that certain forces in Russia are behind this provocative statement,"
the Deputy Minister said, as reported by Rossiyskaya Gazeta. She
noted that "Georgia maintains good relations with Armenia and all
issues are resolved at the international level and in a friendly
atmosphere." "We have good relations not only with Armenia, but also
with ethnic Armenians living in Georgia, and in this respect we do
not see a real problem," Kalandadze said.
But the Deputy Minister is being insincere. It is actually the other
way round - there is no self-government, no freedom, no work. There is
only the changing demographic image of the region affected not only by
Georgians, but also by the Turks. Hence, it is already several years a
Turkish university has been operating in Akhaltsikhe, and a number of
Turkish companies are investing in the region's economy. However, the
same thing is also happening in Ajaria and throughout Georgia. Georgia
is gradually becoming a Turkish province, which, however, does not
seem to worry Mikhail Saakashvili. But these are the internal affairs
of another state, and Armenia does not wish to interfere in them. And
even if she interferes, it is because the rights of indigenous Armenian
population have been violated. Georgia has long been "famous" for
her unpredictable policy towards neighboring states...
According to coordinator of the Council of Armenian Organizations
(NGOs) of Samtskhe-Javakheti (Javakhk) Artak Gabrielyan, Javakhk
does not raise the question of solving the problems through conflict
with the Georgian authorities. According to him, this is due to the
geopolitical position of Armenia and the challenges the country is
facing. "Armenians have always supported the Georgian state; the
latest example of this was the behavior of the Armenian community
in Georgia during the August war of 2008. They did not make use of
the terrible plight Georgia was in and did not demand improvement
of their position. Javakheti has to become a bridge of friendly
relations between Armenia and Georgia, and now it is only a factor,"
Gabrielyan said.
Meanwhile, Democratic Member of the House Committee on Foreign
Affairs, Congressman Brad Sherman of California called for allocation
of financial assistance to the Armenian community residing in
Javakheti. Sherman noted that the Georgian government supported the
idea of â~@~Kâ~@~Khelping Javakheti, and stressed that those efforts
would contribute to the achievement of the U.S. strategic objectives
in the Caucasus.
Karine Ter-Sahakyan
PanARMENIAN.Net
March 23, 2012
If Georgia becomes a NATO member, a military base will be installed
in Javakhk and, no doubt, will be staffed by Turkish troops.
Situation in the Armenian-populated region of Georgia,
Samtskhe-Javakheti has never been quiet, but in recent years
in connection with the intention of Georgia to join NATO and the
tension in relations with Russia concern has been stirred up among
the Armenian population. Russia's Diaspora of Javakhk openly declares
that if Georgia joins NATO, Javakheti, now part of Georgia, will
demand independence.
March 23, 2012 PanARMENIAN.Net - Anxiety of the Javakhketis is
understandable - if Georgia becomes a NATO member, a military base
will be installed in Javakhk and, no doubt, will be staffed by
Turkish troops. This means that Armenian population will be forced
to emigrate from their historic homeland in large numbers, or secede
from Georgia, i.e. start another local war, because Georgia, having
lost a considerable part of its territory, will hang by its eyelids to
Javakhk. In this case Tbilisi will receive assistance from Baku and
Ankara, and it will clearly be difficult for Javakheti Armenians to
rely on Russia. Under these circumstances Armenia is a bad ally due to
the unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Currently Yerevan is simply
unable to provide armed or other assistance to Javakheti. Moreover,
if the situation develops by this scenario, Armenia will certainly lose
contact with the outside world, and there will only be one land route
via Iran. So, Yerevan just cannot afford to get involved in another
conflict for safety reasons, although Javakhetis blame the Armenian
authorities for their indifference to their troubles. However, this
does not mean that people of the region should not be supported.
Support is essential in any case. The policy of official Tbilisi
in this respect leaves much to be desired - the current president
continues the tradition of Zviad Gamsakhurdia, who proclaimed "Georgia
for Georgians". It is possible that the constitution of Georgia be
amended, and like Turkey, everyone without exception be recorded as
Georgians, for... no nation, no problems.
Meanwhile, Tbilisi, already accustomed to see in all of her troubles
the "hand of Kremlin", directly accuses Russia of "speculation" on the
situation in the Armenian region of Samtskhe-Javakheti. According
to Tbilisi, there is no threat of formation of an independent
state in this region, and certain forces in Russia are behind such
statements, Deputy Foreign Minister Nino Kalandadze said."Last week,
representatives of the so-called "Javakhk Diaspora in Russia" released
a statement via media, saying that a "Javakh state" may appear on the
territory of Georgia if â~@~Kâ~@~Kthe country joins NATO. It is obvious
that certain forces in Russia are behind this provocative statement,"
the Deputy Minister said, as reported by Rossiyskaya Gazeta. She
noted that "Georgia maintains good relations with Armenia and all
issues are resolved at the international level and in a friendly
atmosphere." "We have good relations not only with Armenia, but also
with ethnic Armenians living in Georgia, and in this respect we do
not see a real problem," Kalandadze said.
But the Deputy Minister is being insincere. It is actually the other
way round - there is no self-government, no freedom, no work. There is
only the changing demographic image of the region affected not only by
Georgians, but also by the Turks. Hence, it is already several years a
Turkish university has been operating in Akhaltsikhe, and a number of
Turkish companies are investing in the region's economy. However, the
same thing is also happening in Ajaria and throughout Georgia. Georgia
is gradually becoming a Turkish province, which, however, does not
seem to worry Mikhail Saakashvili. But these are the internal affairs
of another state, and Armenia does not wish to interfere in them. And
even if she interferes, it is because the rights of indigenous Armenian
population have been violated. Georgia has long been "famous" for
her unpredictable policy towards neighboring states...
According to coordinator of the Council of Armenian Organizations
(NGOs) of Samtskhe-Javakheti (Javakhk) Artak Gabrielyan, Javakhk
does not raise the question of solving the problems through conflict
with the Georgian authorities. According to him, this is due to the
geopolitical position of Armenia and the challenges the country is
facing. "Armenians have always supported the Georgian state; the
latest example of this was the behavior of the Armenian community
in Georgia during the August war of 2008. They did not make use of
the terrible plight Georgia was in and did not demand improvement
of their position. Javakheti has to become a bridge of friendly
relations between Armenia and Georgia, and now it is only a factor,"
Gabrielyan said.
Meanwhile, Democratic Member of the House Committee on Foreign
Affairs, Congressman Brad Sherman of California called for allocation
of financial assistance to the Armenian community residing in
Javakheti. Sherman noted that the Georgian government supported the
idea of â~@~Kâ~@~Khelping Javakheti, and stressed that those efforts
would contribute to the achievement of the U.S. strategic objectives
in the Caucasus.