A problem that won't go away: the desendants of the 1830 Armenian
repatriants from Turkey continue to make themselves heard in potentially
violent argument that dates back to 1920's. 

this review of the Georgian Press on the subject: 

ARMENIANS OF SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI TO HOLD A REFERENDUM? 

-----------------------------------------------------
ON JANUARY 11 THE NEWSPAPER 3AKHALI TAOBA,2 REFERRING TO THE INFORMATION
FROM THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION OF SAMTSKHE- JAVAKHETI, REPORTED THAT AN
ARMENIAN NATIONALIST ORGANIZATION 3JAVAKHKA2 INTENDED TO HOLD A REFERENDUM
AMONG THE LOCAL ARMENIAN POPULATION.  THE REFERENDUM WOULD BE ON
ESTABLISHING A SEPARATE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION IN THE TOWNS OF
AKHALKALAKI AND NINOTSMINDA.  HOWEVER, THE REQUEST PROVIDES FOR THE HEAD
OF THE NEW ADMINISTRATION TO BE APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF GEORGIA. 
ACCORDING TO BLACK SEA PRESS OF JANUARY 8, RESIDENTS OF JAVAKHETI
ADDRESSED A LETTER TO THE PARLIAMENT1S CONSTITUTIONAL COMMITTEE SAYING
THAT 3IF A FEDERATIVE STRUCTURE IS ESTABLISHED IN GEORGIA, JAVAKHETI MUST
ACQUIRE THE STATUS OF A SEPARATE SUBJECT.2

ACCORDING TO 3RESONANSI2 OF JANUARY 9, RECENTLY SHEVARDNADZE PASSED A
DECREE ON THE 3MEASURES FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF SOCIAL-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
IN THE REGION OF JAVAKHETI.2 3RESONANSI2 CITES 3EXPERTS2 WHO BELIEVE THAT
THERE IS ONLY ONE STEP FROM THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SEPARATE ADMINISTRATION
IN THE REGION TO THE REQUEST FOR AUTONOMY. 

3RESONANSI2 CLAIMS THE ARMENIAN NEWSPAPER 3VREMI2 OF DECEMBER 6 QUOTED A
GEORGIAN MP OF ARMENIAN NATIONALITY, HENRIKH MURADIAN, WHO SAID 3THE
POLITICAL ACTIVITY OF THE ARMENIANS OF JAVAKHETI CANNOT POSE ANY THREAT TO
THE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF GEORGIA.2 3RESONANSI,2 HOWEVER, WAS ALSO
CONCERNED ABOUT THE 3HISTORIC POPULARITY2 OF THE NATIONALISTIC ARMENIAN
PARTY 3DASHNAKSUTUN2 IN JAVAKHETI. 

THE PROGRAM OF THE DASHNAKS, WRITES 3RESONANSI,2 PROVIDES FOR ARMENIAN
SOVEREIGNTY IN AKHALKALAKI.  MOREOVER, THE NEWSPAPER POINTS TO THE RUSSIAN
TROOPS BASED IN AKHALKALAKI AS 3RELIABLE DEFENDERS2 OF THE POLITICAL
INTERESTS OF ARMENIANS.  ACCORDING TO THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE 3GEORGIAN
TIMES2 OF JANUARY 14, ONE OF THE REASONS FOR INSTIGATING A SEPARATIST
MOVEMENT IN THE REGION COULD BE DESTABILIZATION ON THE WESTERN ROUTE OF
THE OIL PIPELINE. 


It seems that Georgians, eager to avoid complicating relations with the
Armenian government, blame the Dashnak ultra-nationalists for the
agitation.  The Dashnaks have been seriously repressesd by the Armenian
authorities recently. 

It remains to be seen if this tactic of the Georgians can be succesfull. 


ASBAREZ ON LINE
02/25/97
 
GEORGIAN NATIONAL SECURITY CHIEF DISCUSSES JAVAKHK

YEREVAN (Azg)-Georgian National Security Advisor Archil Gegeshidze
declared that the instability in Javakhk (a region in Georgia, mainly
inhabited by Armenians) was caused by certain opposition forces in
Armenia. 
        "The Republic of Armenia doesnt have any territorial claims to
Georgia," Speaker of Armenias National Assembly Babken Ararktsian declared
during his two-day trip to Georgia, last week. 
        Parliament spokesperson Vahagn Mkrtchian said that problems may
appear between the neighboring countries, but these can never affect the
friendly relations between Armenia and Georgia. /end report/

This encouraging statement needs to be tempered with the knowledge that
Armenia and Georgia fought a short but vicios war over approximately the
same area in 1918 when Armenia and Georgia were both in their deathroes
and despite the real threat of Georgian blockade of Armenia. 


NO DISAGREEMENTS BETWEEN ARMENIA AND GEORGIA

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24, ARMENPRESS.
During his February 21 press conference, the newly appointed Foreign
Ministry spokesman Arsen Gasparian emphasized [...] the Armenian
delegation's visit to Georgia.  ...  During the Armenian delegation's
visit to Georgia, issues connected with state border between Armenia and
Georgia were discussed. Mr.  Gasparian reminded that in 1996, decision was
made in Armenia and Georgia to establish committees on drawing state
border between the two states, and he noted that the committee signed its
first statement on February 19, during the Armenian delegation's visit to
Tbilisi. The statement was signed by Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister
Sergey Manaserian and Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgi Burdouli.
Identification of legal basis and principles for drawing the state border
will be completed by April 20. Mr. Gasparian, pointed out that there has
been no disagreements between the sides during the discussions in Tbilisi. 
[end report]
 
I bet we haven't heard last on the  subject yet.

Levan
kverenckiladze.1@osu.edu

Subject: Yes, Storm Brewing in southern Georgia?
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 11:01:36 -0500
From: Your_user_name@osu.edu
Organization: OSU
Newsgroups: soc.culture.rep-of-georgia

SHEVARDNADZE SIGNS DECREE ON REPATRIATION OF MESKHETIAN TURKS

------------------------------------------------------------

ON DECEMBER 9 PRESIDENT SHEVARDNADZE SIGNED A DECREE ON A STATE PROGRAM
FOR SOLUTION OF 3LEGAL AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS OF DEPORTED AND REPATRIATED
MESKHETIANS.2 THE PROGRAM1S PURPOSE IS 3MANAGEMENT, COORDINATION AND
CONTROL OF THE PROCESS OF REPATRIATION2 OF MESKHETIAN TURKS DEPORTED FROM
THE SOUTHERN REGION OF SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI OF GEORGIA IN 1944.  THE PROGRAM
PROVIDES FOR: RESTORATION OF GEORGIAN CITIZENSHIP AND NATIONALITY OF
REPATRIATES, ENSURING ECONOMIC PRIVILEGES AND SOCIAL PROTECTION, AS WELL
AS FACILITATING THE ADAPTATION AND RE-INTEGRATION PROCESS.  THE FIRST
STAGE OF REPATRIATION COVERS THE PERIOD UNTIL 2000 AND ENVISAGES
REPATRIATION OF ABOUT 5,000 MESKHETIANS.  THE PROGRAM WILL BE FINANCED BY
THE CENTRAL BUDGET, REGIONAL BUDGETS, STATE CREDITS, FUNDS ALLOCATED BY
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, FUNDS ALLOCATED ON THE BASIS OF AGREEMENTS
BETWEEN GEORGIA AND INTERESTED PARTIES, PRIVATE RESOURCES OF MESKHETIANS
AND CHARITY FUNDS. 


AN AD HOC STATE COMMISSION, CHAIRED BY MINISTER OF REFUGEES AND
ACCOMMODATION VALERIAN VASHAKIDZE, WILL SUPERVISE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
PROGRAM. 

THE PROGRAM ALSO NOTES A NEED TO 3PREPARE PUBLIC OPINION FOR THE
REPATRIATION PROCESS.2 THE PUBLIC REACTION TO THE PRESIDENTIAL DECREE WAS
QUITE MIXED.  ON DECEMBER 25, THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON MIGRATION AND
COMPATRIOTS LIVING ABROAD, CHAIRED BY GURAM SHARADZE FROM THE AJARAN
REVIVAL UNION, HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE STRONGLY CRITICIZING SHEVARDNADZE1S
DECISION.  THE NEWSPAPER 3RESONANSI2 OF DECEMBER 26 QUOTED SHARADZE AS
SAYING THAT THE DECISION 3BYPASSED2 THE GEORGIAN PARLIAMENT.  HE SAID
GEORGIA HAD NOT ACCEDED TO THE BISHKEK AGREEMENT SIGNED IN 1992 ON THE
REPATRIATION OF PEOPLES DEPORTED FROM THEIR NATIVE COUNTRIES DURING THE
STALIN-BERIA REGIME.  THEREFORE, GEORGIA HAD NO OBLIGATIONS BEFORE THE
3SO-CALLED MESKHETIAN-TURKS.2 SHARADZE EXPRESSED HIS CONVICTION THAT 3THE
PRESIDENT WAS MISLED,2 SINCE THE RETURN OF THE MESKHETIANS TO SAMTSKHE-
JAVAKHETI WOULD CREATE ANOTHER 3HOT-BED2 IN GEORGIA. 

DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE KAKHA JIKIA, FROM THE OPPOSITION NATIONAL
DEMOCRATIC PARTY, SAID THAT 3WHILE GEORGIA HAS 300,000 IDP1S AND ITS
TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY IS NOT RESTORED, PASSING A DECISION ON THE ISSUE IS
HASTY.2 MOREOVER, THE PROCESS OF REPATRIATION OF MESKHETIANS WOULD VIOLATE
THE IMMIGRATION QUOTA ESTABLISHED BY THE PARLIAMENT, WHICH WAS 100 ALIENS
PER YEAR. 

DESPITE THE NEGATIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE, A NUMBER
OF MP1S SUPPORTED SHEVARDNADZE1S DECISION.  ACCORDING TO 3RESONANSI,2
DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF THE PARLIAMENT EDUARD SURMANIDZE, ALSO OF REVIVAL
UNION, BELIEVES THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE MESKHETIANS VIEW GEORGIA AS THEIR
NATIVE COUNTRY.  3THESE PEOPLE WERE DEPORTED ILLEGALLY AND WITHOUT ANY
GROUNDS.  THEIR DEMAND TO RETURN TO THEIR HISTORIC MOTHER COUNTRY IS
FAIR,2 SAID SURMANIDZE.  SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE CITIZENS1 UNION OF
GEORGIA MIKHEIL MACHAVARIANI BELIEVES THAT 3GEORGIA DOES NOT HAVE A LEGAL
RIGHT TO HINDER REPATRIATION.2 MACHAVARIANI ALSO RULES OUT THE POSSIBILITY
OF A CONFLICT BETWEEN THE MESKHETIANS AND THE LOCAL, MOSTLY ETHNIC
ARMENIAN POPULATION.  HOWEVER, SOME EXPERTS, CITED BY THE SAME NEWSPAPER,
BELIEVE THAT RESETTLEMENT OF THE MESKHETIAN TURKS IN THE PLACES OF THEIR
FORMER RESIDENCE IN SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI WOULD DESTABILIZE THE REGION. 

3RESONANSI2 SPECULATES THAT THE RESUMPTION OF THE MESKHETIAN ISSUE MAY
WHIP UP SOME ANTI-TURKISH SENTIMENTS IN GEORGIA, WHICH HAVE NOT YET
SUBSIDED FOLLOWING THE ISSUE OF OPENING A TURKISH UNIVERSITY.  IN
CONCLUSION, THE NEWSPAPER WRITES THAT GEORGIAN PUBLIC OPINION IS NOT READY
FOR 3A COMPACT SETTLEMENT OF MESKHETIAN TURKS IN GEORGIA.2 TO FACT, THE
MESKHETIANS REPATRIATED WILL BE FREE TO CHOOSE THEIR PLACE OF RESIDENCE IN
ANY PART OF GEORGIA, NOT NECESSARILY RESTRICTING THEMSELVES TO
SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI. 

Subject: Re: Javakheti
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 13:15:30 -0500
From: Levan kverennckiladze.1@osu.edu
Organization: The Ohio State University
Newsgroups: soc.culture.rep-of-georgia
References: 1

.........

Here's one view  on the problem:

" Is Djavakheti a Hot Spot?
Reprint from the "Pravda" newspaper (Moscow). Djavakheti (a region in
southern Georgia, populated mostly by Armenians) may become a second
Karabakh at the initiative of Moscow rather than Yerevan, the author
argues. One reason is that Russia has to lay pressure on Georgia
because of transits of Caspian crude oil, the other is that such a
conflict could be used as a sound argument when solving the problem of
the Russian troops in Georgia.  "Novoye Vremia" (New Time), No. 9,
February 26, pp. 1-2.  "

Sakartvelo - The Republic of Georgia