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TBILISI: Georgian Governor Sees Less Anti-Government Feeling In Ethn

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  • TBILISI: Georgian Governor Sees Less Anti-Government Feeling In Ethn

    GEORGIAN GOVERNOR SEES LESS ANTI-GOVERNMENT FEELING IN ETHNIC ARMENIAN AREA

    Radio Imedi, Georgia
    Oct 30 2006

    The governor of Samtskhe-Javakheti in southern Georgia, Giorgi
    Khachidze, has said that popular discontent in the town of Akhalkalaki
    and the province's other predominantly ethnic Armenian areas is on
    the wane.

    In a live interview on Imedi Radio on 30 October, he said that the
    central government's steps to rebuild Samtskhe-Javakheti's run-down
    infrastructure and deal with other local problems had led to radical
    groups losing support in the province.

    "Two years ago, soon after I was appointed to this post in
    Samtskhe-Javakheti, a 5,000-6,000-strong rally was staged. There
    were some genuine problems, such as the problem of passports. They
    also raised some personnel issues. These problems have been resolved
    and now you can see that they [protest organizers] can muster just
    200 people at best. I think that this is a clear sign that people
    in Javakheti and the region in general can see quite well what the
    situation is like, how we are developing, in which direction we are
    heading and what the current government wants," Khachidze said.

    It is now "practically impossible" to destabilize the province,
    he said, adding, however, that there were still attempts to stage
    "provocative demonstrations aimed at creating instability".

    Discussing recent disturbances in Akhalkalaki over alleged
    irregularities in the 5 October local elections, he said: "This was a
    clear provocation. I do not want to speak about a specific country. I
    am not ruling out the possibility that this comes from more than one
    country. There could be some other interested parties involved."
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