Armenians call for new privileges in Samtskhe-Javakheti region

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) appealed to Congress to address 10% of all funds, allocated by U.S. government for Georgia, to “historically inhabited by the Armenians of Samtskhe-Javakheti region."

"The increased attention of Armenia to the region is Russian-Armenian project to the collapse Georgia, " said MP Samad Seyidov commenting on the appeal.

Speaker of the Georgian Parliament David Usupashvili, being on an official visit to the U.S., assessed the situation:

"Samtskhe-Javakheti is one of the parts of Georgia. I would be glad to see aid going there without harming the other regions. We have equally nice, beautiful region of Kvemo-Kartli that also has a lot of needs and I would like to see a lot of assistance going there. And Mengrelia needs assistance as well. I don't think that these kinds of things should be decided on the basis of anything other than the needs of people, and Georgia needs to take care of its people. First of all, with our own resources. That would be most fair and most reasonable.

At the same time, it's the Georgian government's job to realize that the minorities need special care and attention to their issues and I can tell you that Mr Ivanishvili during his meetings with representatives of regional media made it clear that he is going to personally contribute to the new mosque in Batumi. He said that he would end the shameful period of history when people were not allowed to follow their religious beliefs, and freedom of religion means all possible religions and all possible beliefs.
I believe we have many challenges. It's a complex region, very interesting region, very dynamic. We need to be very cautious about moves there and here. There are some possible dynamics which would not be good for Georgia, and not good for those countries."