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GEORGIAN GOVERNOR SEES LESS ANTI-GOVERNMENT FEELING IN ETHNIC ARMENIAN AREA
Radio Imedi, Georgia
Oct 30 2006
The governor of Samtskhe-Javakheti in southern Georgia, Giorgi
Khachidze, has said that popular discontent in the town of Akhalkalaki
and the province's other predominantly ethnic Armenian areas is on
the wane.
In a live interview on Imedi Radio on 30 October, he said that the
central government's steps to rebuild Samtskhe-Javakheti's run-down
infrastructure and deal with other local problems had led to radical
groups losing support in the province.
"Two years ago, soon after I was appointed to this post in
Samtskhe-Javakheti, a 5,000-6,000-strong rally was staged. There
were some genuine problems, such as the problem of passports. They
also raised some personnel issues. These problems have been resolved
and now you can see that they [protest organizers] can muster just
200 people at best. I think that this is a clear sign that people
in Javakheti and the region in general can see quite well what the
situation is like, how we are developing, in which direction we are
heading and what the current government wants," Khachidze said.
It is now "practically impossible" to destabilize the province,
he said, adding, however, that there were still attempts to stage
"provocative demonstrations aimed at creating instability".
Discussing recent disturbances in Akhalkalaki over alleged
irregularities in the 5 October local elections, he said: "This was a
clear provocation. I do not want to speak about a specific country. I
am not ruling out the possibility that this comes from more than one
country. There could be some other interested parties involved."
Radio Imedi, Georgia
Oct 30 2006
The governor of Samtskhe-Javakheti in southern Georgia, Giorgi
Khachidze, has said that popular discontent in the town of Akhalkalaki
and the province's other predominantly ethnic Armenian areas is on
the wane.
In a live interview on Imedi Radio on 30 October, he said that the
central government's steps to rebuild Samtskhe-Javakheti's run-down
infrastructure and deal with other local problems had led to radical
groups losing support in the province.
"Two years ago, soon after I was appointed to this post in
Samtskhe-Javakheti, a 5,000-6,000-strong rally was staged. There
were some genuine problems, such as the problem of passports. They
also raised some personnel issues. These problems have been resolved
and now you can see that they [protest organizers] can muster just
200 people at best. I think that this is a clear sign that people
in Javakheti and the region in general can see quite well what the
situation is like, how we are developing, in which direction we are
heading and what the current government wants," Khachidze said.
It is now "practically impossible" to destabilize the province,
he said, adding, however, that there were still attempts to stage
"provocative demonstrations aimed at creating instability".
Discussing recent disturbances in Akhalkalaki over alleged
irregularities in the 5 October local elections, he said: "This was a
clear provocation. I do not want to speak about a specific country. I
am not ruling out the possibility that this comes from more than one
country. There could be some other interested parties involved."