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Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Russia
May 22 2012
Upsetting the Balance. Tbilisi's Inconsistency Is Fraught With the
Risk of A Regional Imbalance
Editorial
[translated from Russian]
The Cherkess Days [commemorative events around 21 May, the date on
which the Cherkess themselves mark as a Day of Mourning] began in the
Georgian town of Anaklia [Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region] yesterday. A
memorial was opened to the victims of the genocide of Cherkess under
the Russian Empire, which was recognized a year ago by the Georgian
parliament. A conference organized by the Jamestown Foundation was
held, and there was a concert, an exhibition etc.
The craving for justice that has awoken in Georgian deputies has not
met with understanding among all strata of Cherkess society. Other
prominent representatives of this society regard Tbilisi's actions as
untimely, and as having been agreed only with a group of Cherkess
radicals. Others go even further, accusing the Georgian side of
exploiting a painful topic solely in order to pique Moscow. Its
actions, they believe, have made more difficult a fair solution to the
problem by the Russian Federation authorities, which is far more
important than the recognition of genocide by Georgia.
The Georgian authorities have encountered accusations also from their
opposition, which has begun to talk about the genocide of Armenians in
Turkey. Its logic is simple: If parliament has accommodated a group of
foreigners and recognized the genocide of Cherkess, on what basis does
it refuse to satisfy a similar request from its Armenian fellow
citizens? The inconsistency is obvious.
This inconsistency was the reason for the "Save David Gareja" march
held on Sunday: Azerbaijani border guards have blocked access to part
of the David Gareja complex [rock-hewn Georgian Orthodox monastery
complex located in the Kakheti region of Eastern Georgia]. But the
Georgian authorities, contrary to expectations, have declared that the
"closed" churches are on Azerbaijani territory - it is not pleasant,
they say, but there is nothing unlawful here. A counter question has
arisen: How is the fact to be explained that in some cases - for
example, regarding the restoration of mosques erected during the
period of Turkish rule or the Armenian churches that Tbilisi has
declared contested - difficult negotiations with the opposite side
have been going on for umpteen years, while in this case, by one
statement the authorities are giving up several dozen hectares of land
near the borders, and, to all intents and purposes, giving up Georgian
churches along with them, even though the process of delimitating and
demarcating the border with Azerbaijan has not been completed? Once
again, an inconsistency.
It seems that it is possible to kiss all this goodbye. In the final
analysis, to deem what should be given up and what should be clung
onto with a deadly grip, and what should be recognized and what should
be brushed aside, is Georgia's internal affair. But in fact, the
situation is far more dangerous.
Georgia is entering a pre-election period. For the sake of votes,
politicians, whether they mean to do so or not, are drawing national
communities into "speculative operations." Naturally, no elections
have ever passed off without attempts to secure their support. But
never before has a battle been waged on such "dangerously explosive
fields" as the one being started right now. Azeri deputies in the
Georgian parliament have protested the proposal to examine the
genocide of Armenians. Armenian deputies have begun to murmur against
their protest. Representatives of the Armenian diaspora have supported
the "Save David Gareja" movement, but representatives of the Azeri
diaspora have not been happy either with the movement, or with the
position of the Armenians.
The highly difficult relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia have up
till now not resonated in Georgia. The diasporas have been continuing
their age-old peaceful coexistence. Now symptoms have appeared
suggesting that the ill-considered statements and actions of
politicians - no matter whether from the regime or the opposition camp
- could disturb the equilibrium. Which is fraught with the danger of a
conflict with a pronounced ethnic dimension creeping into a country
with diasporas several thousands strong of mutually hostile peoples
densely populating, apart from Tbilisi, Kvemo Kartli and Javakheti -
regions with a heightened risk of separatism, it goes without
saying... And after all, there is also a special relevance to the
Iranian question here. Or the strategic goal of turning Georgia into
the centre of a Greater Caucasus, which causes their selfish
neighbours to furrow their brows.
Meanwhile, the events in Anaklia have provoked questions from certain
North Caucasus peoples who suffered during the era of the Russian
Empire no less than did the Cherkess, and who feel hurt by the
"favouritism" displayed by Georgia. And this also testifies to the
fact that Tbilisi's policies, which have points of contact with
problems affecting the whole of the Caucasus, are in need of greater
balance.
[translated from Russian]
From: Baghdasarian
May 22 2012
Upsetting the Balance. Tbilisi's Inconsistency Is Fraught With the
Risk of A Regional Imbalance
Editorial
[translated from Russian]
The Cherkess Days [commemorative events around 21 May, the date on
which the Cherkess themselves mark as a Day of Mourning] began in the
Georgian town of Anaklia [Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region] yesterday. A
memorial was opened to the victims of the genocide of Cherkess under
the Russian Empire, which was recognized a year ago by the Georgian
parliament. A conference organized by the Jamestown Foundation was
held, and there was a concert, an exhibition etc.
The craving for justice that has awoken in Georgian deputies has not
met with understanding among all strata of Cherkess society. Other
prominent representatives of this society regard Tbilisi's actions as
untimely, and as having been agreed only with a group of Cherkess
radicals. Others go even further, accusing the Georgian side of
exploiting a painful topic solely in order to pique Moscow. Its
actions, they believe, have made more difficult a fair solution to the
problem by the Russian Federation authorities, which is far more
important than the recognition of genocide by Georgia.
The Georgian authorities have encountered accusations also from their
opposition, which has begun to talk about the genocide of Armenians in
Turkey. Its logic is simple: If parliament has accommodated a group of
foreigners and recognized the genocide of Cherkess, on what basis does
it refuse to satisfy a similar request from its Armenian fellow
citizens? The inconsistency is obvious.
This inconsistency was the reason for the "Save David Gareja" march
held on Sunday: Azerbaijani border guards have blocked access to part
of the David Gareja complex [rock-hewn Georgian Orthodox monastery
complex located in the Kakheti region of Eastern Georgia]. But the
Georgian authorities, contrary to expectations, have declared that the
"closed" churches are on Azerbaijani territory - it is not pleasant,
they say, but there is nothing unlawful here. A counter question has
arisen: How is the fact to be explained that in some cases - for
example, regarding the restoration of mosques erected during the
period of Turkish rule or the Armenian churches that Tbilisi has
declared contested - difficult negotiations with the opposite side
have been going on for umpteen years, while in this case, by one
statement the authorities are giving up several dozen hectares of land
near the borders, and, to all intents and purposes, giving up Georgian
churches along with them, even though the process of delimitating and
demarcating the border with Azerbaijan has not been completed? Once
again, an inconsistency.
It seems that it is possible to kiss all this goodbye. In the final
analysis, to deem what should be given up and what should be clung
onto with a deadly grip, and what should be recognized and what should
be brushed aside, is Georgia's internal affair. But in fact, the
situation is far more dangerous.
Georgia is entering a pre-election period. For the sake of votes,
politicians, whether they mean to do so or not, are drawing national
communities into "speculative operations." Naturally, no elections
have ever passed off without attempts to secure their support. But
never before has a battle been waged on such "dangerously explosive
fields" as the one being started right now. Azeri deputies in the
Georgian parliament have protested the proposal to examine the
genocide of Armenians. Armenian deputies have begun to murmur against
their protest. Representatives of the Armenian diaspora have supported
the "Save David Gareja" movement, but representatives of the Azeri
diaspora have not been happy either with the movement, or with the
position of the Armenians.
The highly difficult relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia have up
till now not resonated in Georgia. The diasporas have been continuing
their age-old peaceful coexistence. Now symptoms have appeared
suggesting that the ill-considered statements and actions of
politicians - no matter whether from the regime or the opposition camp
- could disturb the equilibrium. Which is fraught with the danger of a
conflict with a pronounced ethnic dimension creeping into a country
with diasporas several thousands strong of mutually hostile peoples
densely populating, apart from Tbilisi, Kvemo Kartli and Javakheti -
regions with a heightened risk of separatism, it goes without
saying... And after all, there is also a special relevance to the
Iranian question here. Or the strategic goal of turning Georgia into
the centre of a Greater Caucasus, which causes their selfish
neighbours to furrow their brows.
Meanwhile, the events in Anaklia have provoked questions from certain
North Caucasus peoples who suffered during the era of the Russian
Empire no less than did the Cherkess, and who feel hurt by the
"favouritism" displayed by Georgia. And this also testifies to the
fact that Tbilisi's policies, which have points of contact with
problems affecting the whole of the Caucasus, are in need of greater
balance.
[translated from Russian]
From: Baghdasarian