THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN JAVAKHK: CHALLENGES AND RESPONSES
On January 30 in “Noravank” foundation round table meeting “The latest developments in Javakhk: challenges and responses” was arranged. Different experts, analysts and representatives of non-government organizations took part in that round table meeting.
The director of “Noravank’ foundation Gagik Harutyunyan delivered the introduction. G. Harutyunyan mentioned the importance of the problem of the Armenians in Javakhk and said that the war in the August 2008 showed that the Republic of Armenia is very important factor for the security of Georgia. He also pointed out some key omissions in the approach to the above mentioned problem, i.e. the absence of conceptualization, overall information and researches on that issue. “It looks like the authorities show enough political will concerning those problems, but it is also necessary to boost overall and deep researches in different scientific institutions”, - said Harutyunyan.
The expert of “Noravank” foundation Tamara Vardanyan presented the view of Armenians of Tbilisi to the problems of the Armenians of Javakhk. The contributor told that the most common perception of the problem reduces itself to the opinion that Armenians of Tbilisi occurred in the situation of hostages because of that problem with Javakhk. The contributor mentioned that there is also an opinion, which is more perceptible and realistic and according to it Armenians of Javakhk are security assurance for Armenians of Tbilisi.
The report by the expert of “Noravank” foundation Vahram Hovyan was devoted to one of the main issues, which is periodically arisen in different social and political quarters, i.e. the probable return of Meskhetian Turks to Georgia. He presented information on their population, identity and the possibility of their return to Georgia. The spokesman said that in accordance with the official Georgian sources their consulates in different countries had received about 900 claims from Meskhetian Turks who wanted to return, but according to Russian and Azerbaijani press that number is bigger.
The report by Robert Tatoyan, the program coordinator of “Erkir” union, touched on the issue of the problem of Armenians of Djavakhq in the context of the norms of international law. The claims of Armenians of Javakhk are in the field of regulations of international law on the protection of the rights of ethnic minorities. The spokesman presented measures carried by “Erkir” union, touched upon the arrests in Javakhk, judicial violations and the moral atmosphere caused by it.
The reports were followed by active discussions. A number of stereotypes, misunderstandings and mistakes, which are peculiar to different Armenian social and political quarters, were pointed out. Some of them were marked out:
1. Allegedly there is no problem of protection of Armenians in Javakhk
2. The raising of Javakhk problem will damage Artsakh issue
3. Georgia has powerful leverage on Armenia
4. Georgia’s ally countries allegedly will not give a way to the demands of Armenians of Javakhk and e.t.c.
The experts uniquely denied those wrong perceptions.
Summarizing the discussion T.Vardanyan formulated following results:
- The moment came when we should publicly accept on the analytical, research and state levels that there is the factor of Javakhk problem in the relations between Armenia and Georgia.
- When we accept the existence of that problem we should reconsider our tactics, which is now situational. It should be preventive.
- Non-government organizations has depleted their resources as there have been many seminars, discussions and press-conferences arranged but there are no changes for the better. Thus we need state approach to this problem and state’s support for the public opinion, which has already been formed, especially if Georgian side’s actions are rather coordinated, consistent and are implemented on state level.
- Today the main problem of Djavakhq is to prevent the extrusion and marginalization of active and patriotic Armenian forces of Djavakhq.
