Armenian demands for autonomy in Georgia's Samtskhe-Javakheti region are a prelude to attempts to annex the territory, a Georgian historian has said.
Armenia has decided to contribute to policy targeting Georgia, Guram Markhulia, Georgian historian and professor at Sukhumi state university, said, commenting on Armenian diaspora demands for autonomy in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region of Georgia.
The professor said that Armenian media print anti-Georgian publications on the need for autonomy and for Armenian access to the sea.
“Armenia will never get this. Today the Armenian nationalists think they can settle this issue. This will never happen. Georgia will never give its lands to Armenians,” he said.
He thinks that Armenians have no problems in Javakheti or in Georgia overall.
"Armenians are represented both in the parliament and government of Georgia. It is not true that they live badly there. Both Armenians and Azerbaijanis are equal to Georgians. There is no region in Georgia where the population lives better than in other regions. The economic situation is the same throughout Georgia. Armenians want autonomy in order to annex this region further to Armenia. These are their political ambitions and they strive to have access to the sea. This results in the ideological attack against Georgia. They hoped that President Mikheil Saakashvili would discuss the issue with the Armenian president,” he said.
“Armenians are aliens not only in Georgia but also throughout the Caucasus. They were settled in Azerbaijani and Georgian historical lands by the Russians in 1828. Meanwhile, Armenians in Javakheti came from Turkey and did not live in these lands before. Instead of saying 'thank you', the Armenian people are demanding autonomy in this Georgian region,” he said.
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