YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–Authorities in Javakhk have canceled a scheduled round table between Armenian and Georgian scientists–scheduled to take place in Javakhk between Saturday and Monday.
Nikolai Hovhanessian–director of the National Academy of Sciences Eastern studies division told Noyan Tapan that on Wednesday the director of Georgian Democracy and Conflict Resolution Center Georgi Gogsadzen telephoned to inform him that the scheduled conference between Armenian and Georgian academicians was canceled by the authorities of the Samtskhe-Javakhk were concerned that the presence of Armenian academician could further heighten tensions in the region. Thus–the round table was canceled.
Hovhanessian said that the round table–which was to focus of relations between the regions–was going to analyze the socio-economic–cultural–educational and governance of Javakhk. The parameters of that issue was set during a similar round table–which took place in Yerevan last April.
The second phase of the topic was scheduled to be discussed during the round table in Javakhk.
Adviser to Georgian Ambassador to Armenia Zurab Aleksadzen told Hovhanessian that tensions in Javakhk were tied to upcoming presidential elections in Georgia.
The six Armenian academicians will not go to Javakhk. It has been proposed to postpone the seminar to the fall and move it to the Georgian capital–Tbilisi.