Meskhetian Turks Are Returning To Georgia, But Not To Javakhk
Georgian government has initiated the repatriation of people whose ancestors were deported for supporting Turkish invasion.
The visit of Georgian state minister for conflicts resolution Georgy Khaindrava to Ankara has drawn to an end. During the visit Khaindrava discussed the issue of returning Meskhetian Turks who were once deported from Samtskhe Javekhetia. It is worth reminding that recently Georgian President Michael Saakashvili gave an order to start the repatriation process during the coming few weeks.
There is no doubt that the efforts of official Tbilisi are for the beginning aimed at showing activity towards solving the Turks' repatriation problem. Up to now the issue concerns the repatriation of only six families. But it is quite possible that external forces interested in destabilizing situation in the region might make use of the careless order of the Georgian President. Currently Azerbaijan and Turkey are creating funds for organizing mass relocation of Turks to the Armenian-populated regions of Samtskhe Javakhetia. Azeri journalists write that the settlement of Turks in Javakhk is of great importance for Azerbaijan, since it will allow to weaken the Armenian factor in the strategic region and strengthening Tusk' and Azeris' position, it will create a Turkic region, separating Georgia from Armenia and Iran. Ankara and Baku openly speculate with the difficulties of official Tbilisi, heavily influenced by the European Council which yet in 1999 obliged Georgia to repatriate Turks.
However, it is well known that in reality the number of Meskhetian Turks wishing to move to Georgia voluntarily is not so large. In 1944 around 94000 Turks were deported from Georgia to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgizia. The majority of deported people were assimilated in Asia because of religious, language and cultural commonness. Thus, today the overall number of Meskhetian Turks in the world cannot be more than 60-70 thousands. Meanwhile, Baku and Ankara speak about 600 thousand Turks wishing to return to Samtskhe Javakhetia. This is an open provocation also aimed at influencing Georgian political leadership.
Azeris principally call Meskhetian Turks "Akhaltsikhe Turks", whereas it is known that before deportation there were not many Turks in Akhaltsikhe and other Armenian populated regions. Akhaltsikhe Turks mainly lived in the northern regions of Samtskhe Djavakhetia, which was not populated by Armenians. For example it is known that there were only 44 Turkish families in Akhalkalaki region. Thus, it is quite easy to prove that the before the deportation of Turks, the number of Armenians in Javakhk was more than it is now. It is easy to understand Azeri propaganda. They are doing everything possible to underline that Turks have to return to Armenian populated regions. Georgian authorities are on one hand interested in dissolving Armenians in the representatives of other ethnic groups. This can be proved by the fact that the Armenian populated regions were populated by Svans and Ajars. But at the same time, Georgian rulers cannot but realize the explosiveness of the situation in case of the inevitable conflict between native Armenians and Turks whom they will try to settle in Javakhk. This is why Michael Saakashvili and Georgy Khaindrava never promise that repatriated Turks will be settled exactly in Samtskhe Javakhetia. Obligations taken by Georgia before the European Council do not suppose territorial restrictions.
The Soviet government's decision made in 1944 can easily be understood. It was made with an aim to improve the security of state border, since Meskhetian Turks actively cooperated with the agents of Fascist Germany and prepared grounds for Turkish invasion. Georgians do not forget that. This is why not all of them welcome Saakashvili's decision. The late Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Jvnaia never concealed that taking the obligation on the repatriation of Meskhetian Turks was a mistake. He repeatedly announced that his government did not consider it possible to realize the repatriation due to a number of reasons connected with the national security of Georgia. Similar announcements were made also by other members of Jvania's team who are still in power. One of them was state minister Georgy Baramidze who said: "Georgia is not able to fulfill the obligation to repatriate Meskhetian Turks. Mass repatriation may bring to the breach of stability in the region and create new grounds for international tension". However, today when Baku and Ankara have found mechanisms of influence, the top political leadership of Georgia, Baramidze and his associates keep silence
However, it is well known that in reality the number of Meskhetian Turks wishing to move to Georgia voluntarily is not so large. In 1944 around 94000 Turks were deported from Georgia to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgizia. The majority of deported people were assimilated in Asia because of religious, language and cultural commonness. Thus, today the overall number of Meskhetian Turks in the world cannot be more than 60-70 thousands. Meanwhile, Baku and Ankara speak about 600 thousand Turks wishing to return to Samtskhe Javakhetia. This is an open provocation also aimed at influencing Georgian political leadership.
Azeris principally call Meskhetian Turks "Akhaltsikhe Turks", whereas it is known that before deportation there were not many Turks in Akhaltsikhe and other Armenian populated regions. Akhaltsikhe Turks mainly lived in the northern regions of Samtskhe Djavakhetia, which was not populated by Armenians. For example it is known that there were only 44 Turkish families in Akhalkalaki region. Thus, it is quite easy to prove that the before the deportation of Turks, the number of Armenians in Javakhk was more than it is now. It is easy to understand Azeri propaganda. They are doing everything possible to underline that Turks have to return to Armenian populated regions. Georgian authorities are on one hand interested in dissolving Armenians in the representatives of other ethnic groups. This can be proved by the fact that the Armenian populated regions were populated by Svans and Ajars. But at the same time, Georgian rulers cannot but realize the explosiveness of the situation in case of the inevitable conflict between native Armenians and Turks whom they will try to settle in Javakhk. This is why Michael Saakashvili and Georgy Khaindrava never promise that repatriated Turks will be settled exactly in Samtskhe Javakhetia. Obligations taken by Georgia before the European Council do not suppose territorial restrictions.
The Soviet government's decision made in 1944 can easily be understood. It was made with an aim to improve the security of state border, since Meskhetian Turks actively cooperated with the agents of Fascist Germany and prepared grounds for Turkish invasion. Georgians do not forget that. This is why not all of them welcome Saakashvili's decision. The late Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Jvnaia never concealed that taking the obligation on the repatriation of Meskhetian Turks was a mistake. He repeatedly announced that his government did not consider it possible to realize the repatriation due to a number of reasons connected with the national security of Georgia. Similar announcements were made also by other members of Jvania's team who are still in power. One of them was state minister Georgy Baramidze who said: "Georgia is not able to fulfill the obligation to repatriate Meskhetian Turks. Mass repatriation may bring to the breach of stability in the region and create new grounds for international tension". However, today when Baku and Ankara have found mechanisms of influence, the top political leadership of Georgia, Baramidze and his associates keep silence
