PRESS RELEASE “Yerkir” Union welcomes the fact of addressing the problems ofGeorgia and Javakheti Armenians by the President of the Republic of Armenia
Yerevan,
September 02, 2009
On September 01, 2009 the President of the Republic of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, in his speech at the annual meeting of the Armenian diplomatic corps, dwelled on the problems of Javakheti Armenians, saying, particularly, the following: “We should make a serious effort to provide possible assistance to the Armenians of Georgia. Our policy logic in respect to Javakhk should proceed from the premise of ‘integration without assimilation’. Integration in this case implies the strengthening of the reputation of the Armenian population as a meritable and respectablecitizens of Georgia. I reckon that imparting the Armenian language a regional status, provision of Armenian Apostolic church with the appropriate status and steps towards the protection of the Armenian monuments n Georgia will contribute to reinforcement of the Armenian-Georgian friendship, as well as deepening the atmosphere of mutual confidence. In all these issues, we should be tactful, but also consistent and principled” (translation by “Yerkir” Union).
“Yerkir” Union welcomes the clear and unambiguous stance of the President of Armenia on the main problems of Javakheti and Georgia Armeians. It should be noted that the words of the President gain even more weight and importance in the light of the fact that they were delivered on the eve of the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia to Yerevan.
“Yerkir” Union also notes that the steps proposed by the President of Armenia are concordant with the specific recommendations to the Gvernment of Georgia by a number of international (intergovernmental) organizations, including the UN Human Rights Committee and the Council of Europe, as well as some authoritative international non-governmental organizations.
“Yerkir” Union calls upon the Georgian authorities to acknowledge the linguistic, educational, religious and cultural issues, facing the Armenian population of the country, and take effective steps to solve them, using mechanisms that are consistent with the lеtter and intent of the international commitments undertaken by the Georgian government in the field of protection of the rights of ethnic minorities.
“Yerkir” Union of Non-governmental Organizations for Repatriation and Settlement
www.yerkir.org
Return