It
causes the Armenians of Javakhq social problems"The Armenian community
of Georgia is going to celebrate the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide as it
did in last years. We will gather in the pantheon of Tbilisi that day and will
erect a monument /khachqar/ honoring victims of the Genocide and a mass will be
celebrated. Besides we’ll rise that question in the parliament of Georgia honoring
the memory of victims by a minute of silence,"- the deputy Minister of Economy
of Georgia Genady Muradian said interpreting the questions raised in the demonstration,
which took place in Akhalkalak. We must remind that the Parliament of Georgia
discussing lately the issue of withdrawing Russian military bases by the interpretation
of Russian mass media sent an ultimatum to the RF demanding to take a decision
till 15 of May and answer to Georgia about the date of withdrawing of bases. And
if the answer of Russian authorities doesn’t satisfy the official Tbilisi the
Georgian authorities will have to impose penalties and deprive Russian military
men of entrance visa. "We don’t want to aggravate our relations with Russia.
All these is done to make both Russia and Georgia to find acceptable conditions
for withdrawing Russian military bases,"- the President of Georgia Michael
Sahakashvily has said. By appraisals of Russian mass media if withdrawing
of Russian military basis from Batum may not be dangerous for its inhabitants
then the situation is different in case of withdrawing Russian basis from Akhalkalak.
According to Russian sources withdrawing of Russian military bases may worsen
the social-economical conditions of the population especially in Akhalkalak which
is settled by Armenians. Certainly Russian authorities, which have never been
against the practice of pulling chestnuts out of the fire hope now that the Armenian
population of Akhalkalak will produce the interests of Russia. Perhaps they are
right. According to some sources a demonstration where took part 10000 people
took place in Akhalkalak. The participants not only demanded to recognize the
Armenian Genocide from the President and Parliament of Georgia but also declared
that they were against withdrawing of Russian military forces from Akhalkalak
as the presence of it is "the factor of stability and economical prosperity"
for them.Answering to our newspaper’s questions about that demonstration the
Armenian deputy of Georgian Parliament Genady Muradian stressed that the number
of participants was 3-4 thousands and not 10000. What about withdrawing of Russian
military basis the main problem there was social: "People work in that military
basis and in case of withdrawing people will stay unemployed. But Sahakashvily
made a speech and promised that nobody would stay without work that some social-economical
projects had been designed for Samtskhe-Javakhq and especially for Akhalkalak."To
our question whether that answer of Georgian authorities will satisfy the Armenians
of Akhalkalak or the problem is more probably political than social Mr. Muradian
answered: "Everything is mixed and it is difficult to say which problem is
top-priority. Certainly the Armenian deputy of Georgian Parliament Hamlet Movsisian
made a speech and expressed his anxiety that in case of withdrawing Russian military
basis the Armenians worry that military forces of other countries in particular
Turkey can be settled. But the Georgian authorities assured yesterday that military
forces of other countries wouldn’t be settled in the territory of Georgia especially
in Akhalkalak." But if supporting Russia by Armenians won’t intensify the
tension towards the Armenians. "We must do our best to prevent that tension.
We rise those questions and consider that it was the problem of Georgian authorities
but we also stress that social problems of 1200 people who worked in that basis
must be solved. I think that people have right to express their opinion about
those problems,"- G. Muradian said.Naira Mamikonian
