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  • Economy, Politics Prompt Armenian Fears at Russian Withdrawal

    Economy and politics prompt Armenian fears at Russian withdrawal from Georgia

    Aravot, Yerevan
    15 Mar 05

    Text of Naira Mamikonyan's report in Armenian newspaper Aravot on 15
    March headlined "Georgia trying to get rid of Russian military
    bases. This implies social problems for Javakheti Armenians"

    "As before, this year too the Armenian community of Georgia is going
    to mark the anniversary of the Armenian genocide. On 24 April we will
    gather in the Tbilisi pantheon, raise a cross stone and hold a liturgy
    in memory of the genocide victims," Georgia's deputy economy minister,
    Genadi Muradyan, said, commenting on claims raised at last Sunday's
    [13 March] rally in Akhalkalaki. He noted that the Georgian
    authorities would also attend the event.

    To recap, during recent discussions on the withdrawal of Russian
    military bases from Georgia, the Georgian parliament issued an
    ultimatum (reported by the Russian media) to specify the withdrawal
    time by 15 May. If the response fails to please the Georgian
    authorities, they will impose sanctions and deny entry visas to
    Russian soldiers.

    "We are against aggravating relations with Russia. This is being done
    so that both Russia and Georgia can find mutually acceptable and
    profitable ways of withdrawal," Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili
    said.

    Russian media say that while the population of Batumi will not suffer
    much from the withdrawal of the Russian military base, the situation
    in Akhalkalaki will be quite different. The withdrawal of the military
    base from this mostly Armenian region may seriously worsen social and
    economic conditions there. Of course the Russian authorities, who have
    never been against the Armenians pulling chestnuts out of the fire for
    them, are now heavily relying on the support of the Akhalkalaki
    Armenians and are probably not mistaken.

    Some 10,000 people rallied in Akhalkalaki on Sunday [13 March],
    signing, at the initiative of the One Javakhk NGO a demand that the
    Georgian president and parliament should not only recognize the
    Armenian genocide, but should also refuse to withdraw the Russian
    military base from Akhalkalaki as "its presence ensures stability and
    economic prosperity for the region".

    Commenting on the situation, Genadi Muradyan said that in fact there
    were 3,000-4,000 and not 10,000 at the rally. As for the withdrawal of
    the Russian military base, this was more of a social issue. "There are
    people working at the base and if the troops are withdrawn they will
    lose their jobs. But President Saakashvili spoke on Monday and said
    that nobody in Javakheti will be left jobless, everybody will have
    work and that they are drafting social and economic programmes for
    Samtskhe Javakheti and, particularly, for Akhalkalaki."

    Asked if this response would satisfy the Akhalkalaki Armenians or if
    the issue was political rather than social, Muradyan said: "Everything
    is mixed up there and it is difficult to say for sure. An Armenian MP
    in the Georgian parliament, Hamlet Movsesyan, said on Monday that the
    Akhalkalaki Armenians were concerned lest the Russian bases be
    replaced by other foreign, particularly Turkish, troops. They are
    afraid of Turkey, as they still remember the Armenian genocide. But
    the Georgian authorities gave assurances that there will be no foreign
    troops in Georgia in general and in Akhalkalaki in particular."

    Asked if the Javakheti Armenians' support for Russia in the matter
    might generate anti-Armenian tensions in Georgia, Muradyan said: "We
    should do our best to prevent tensions. We are raising these issues
    before the Georgian government and, acknowledging that this is their
    problem, we point out that they should do something to settle the
    social problems of the 1,200 people working at the base. I think that
    the people have the right to express their opinion on such crucial
    issues," Muradyan said.
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