AKHALKALAKI (Armenpress)–Representatives of Armenian ethnic organizations in Javakhk–a region in Georgia’s southern-western part with a predominantly Armenian population–reconfirmed last week their pro-Russian orientation–stressing the role of the Russian base there as a guarantee of their national security.
The move came as a response to a report by Gia Nodia–director of a Tbilisi-based Caucasian Institute for Peace and Democracy–by which he was trying to substantiate Georgia’s pro-Western drive.
Nodia made the remarks during a two-day seminar in Akhalkalaki–organized by the Caucasian Institute to discuss Georgian foreign policy and the problems of Javakhk.
Armenian members of the seminar were quoted by the local A-Info news agency saying that granting the Armenian populated region autonomy status will create legal basis for resolution of many problems by self means.
Another official from Tbilisi pointed out the shortcomings in the Georgian legislation on local self-management bodies election–which actually keeps local Armenia’s away from electing their leader in addition to very limited rights given to local governing bodies.