447) WHAT A COMMUNIQUE MAKES ONE THINK

Samthe –Cevahati Province, which forms the Georgia extension of “Great Armenia“, is in an area that has strategic importance because it is in the region where the Turkish Türkgözü border gate and the planned Akta� border gate are located as well as being the area where petrol-gas lines and railways pass by. Cevahati is home land of the Ahiska Turks, who have been subjects of enforced emigration, and the region has been a headache for Georgia for years because of separatist activities and self determination claims of Armenians who constitute the majority. . . .
This time the autonomy of Cevahati region was discussed in Third Conference of Cevahati Political-Social Community Association with in September in Ahalkelek, Georgia.

According to the news in Armenian media, Russian and Armenian experts, including Russian-Armenian (Slavic) University Research Center of the South Caucasus Integration and Religious Security Director Sergey Minasian, participated in the Conference.

In the communiqué of the conference, it called for autonomy of the region. The communiqué is of importance since it shows up the games played on the region and overlaps matters which are recently given voice in the Armenian circles

In the communiqué it is stressed that it is ‘a dream of Armenian generations who form the majority in the region to unify with Armenia. But the real intent is camouflaged by saying that Armenia and Georgia would be enemies for years in case of the unification, this development would damage the relationship between two countries, and it is not desirable.

However, the dream of integration is so powerful that the damage that would happen on the relationship between the two countries couldn’t hinder the saying that “Cevahati Armenians desire to integrate with their homeland and to form more solid relationship with Armenia.”

Another interesting point in the communiqué is the expression that “hundreds thousands of Armenians were being assimilated in the Soviet Russia and subjected to forced emigrate to the country as well as there was no any demand to unify with Armenian on the side of Georgian Armenians in the same era.

The propaganda, which aims to motivate the world conscience with expressions like “in the history, Armenians were being crushed by great deal of nations, subjected to genocide, assimilation and forced emigration”, is kept reinforced by repetition. Furthermore, these propagandas tend to be an innocent mask of freedom fighting for their rebellion, insurrection and invasion activities in regions they live.

It is understandable that Georgian Armenians did not claim to unify with Armenia in Soviet era, because it was not possible for them to utter any claim like that under powerful Soviet hegemony.

Russia, which understands that it is loosing its hegemony over Georgia which becomes closer to USA and Europe, gives a good lesson to Georgia by its strategic partner Armenia. Russia does that without interfere to developments in Cevahati region.

Beside the autonomy claims of Cevahati Armenians, the simultaneous acceleration between the attempts of rebellions inside Georgia and removing of Ahalkelek Russian military base in Cevaheti proves that Russia aims to keep the region, which is the center of its strategic interests, under control by means of Armenians.

Tbilisi, which is cautious about not to add a new problem to Abkhazia and South

Osetia by taking tough measures to solve the problem, enforce Armenians tendency for autonomy which will later transform to an independence demand.

When the communiqué is studied, Armenians using the tactic of ‘showing carrot to the rabbit’ try to remove the Georgian politicians and political analysts’ concerns that autonomy of Cevahati will encourage separatist activities in the region and it will pave a way to unification of the region with Armenia.

In the communiqué of Cevahati Armenians, it argues that “in case of autonomy of the region, the Armenian Diaspora will make investments in the first phase in Cevahati and then in all Georgia and as a result the country will solve most of its social-economical problems. In that way they offer kind of a political bribe. However the Georgian administration had already allocated in its 2005 budget a great share to be used for development of the region.

Moreover, it is questionable how much financial aid can be given by the diaspora who provide financial aid to Armenia which has a very low economic graphic as well as to separatist north of Nagorno Karabagh Armenians who is laying a foundation of a so-called the Nagorno Karabagh Armenian state. The aid which would come from the diaspora only will contribute to the separatist activities of Cevahati Armenians. It is clear that this enterprise will be a beginning of a great problem.

Furthermore, Georgia, which signs under regional development projects with Turkey and Azerbaijan, does not need any aid from a nation that forms a threat to it.

Another point in the communiqué is that “incase of autonomy of the region, Armenian and Georgian efforts to be member of EU and NATO will receive the support.”

“Using EU and NATO cards toward the regional interests” is Armenians’ recently-invented political concept. Even though it has no sanction power, it can be used as a strong point for pressure. In fact this card is not unfamiliar to Turkey which is among the countries from which Armenia demands land.

Armenia has a constitution which considers Eastern Turkey as “Western Armenia” and clearly shows its strategy toward Turkey’s land. Furthermore, Armenia keeps a propaganda against Turkey in international platforms by calling the measures taken for their Russian-provoked insurrection against Ottomans as “genocide”. Turkey is sensitive to Armenians’ invasion of Azerbaijan lands. All these factors hinder a normal relation between the two countries. Turkey, which has no reply from its well intended steps, had to close its borders against Armenia’s hostile attitude.

In European institutions Armenia takes steps toward Turkey’s recognition of so-called genocide and opening of its gates, tries to restrict Turkey’s EU membership process and to use EU as sanction power against Turkey.

It seems that Armenia and the Armenian diaspora is determined to try the policy, which they developed for Turkey, against Georgia. As it noted down in the communiqué, either Georgia will accept Armenians’ autonomy demands or the Armenian diaspora’s propaganda movements in abroad to axe Tbilisi’s efforts to be member of EU and NATO will pick up speed.

In fact Armenians’ land demand will not end even if Georgia gives autonomy to them. Armenians’ unlimited demands and attitude will not draw to a close even “The Great Armenia’ is founded. Because there will always be an Armenian who is ready to be puppet of a country.

On the other hand, it is interesting to notice the arguments in the communiqué belonging to the Georgian Armenians that the time is in favor of Azerbaijani population, the Azerbaijani population is growing rapidly in Georgia, it is not important to give Azerbaijani population autonomy because the real intention is to spread out all in the region and to reach Turkish border, from this point while avoiding autonomy for Georgian Armenians, all the region will be lost.

Putting aside the arguments which are clearly misleading, in the text of so-called constitution prepared by the “Cavak” Organisation, which operates in Samtshe-Cevahati region, the articles regarding situation of majority peoples consider only Armenians, Georgian and Russians.

As result, it is clear that the Armenians, who argue that there are serious violations against Armenians, don’t hesitate to violate the rights of Azerbaijani population.

Furthermore, neither has Azerbaijani population autonomy or independence demands nor have they tried to rebel against Georgia like Armenians. Moreover the Azerbaijani government has not leaned to provoke the Azerbaijani population in Georgia. They have never had communiqué like the Armenian one.

There is another clear expression which shows their wishes: “the difference in the population in Georgia will sooner or latter come to boil. As a result Georgia’s strong relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan will end up and Tbilisi will be in need to a new partner.”

Even in a communiqué prepared for demands of Armenians in Georgia, there are wishes for Georgia’s relation with Turkey and Azerbaijan to end up. This point helps us to understand what all is about.

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