February 7, 2010 - 15:59 AMT
Problems in Javakhk can be partially resolved with establishment of separate AAC diocese there


The central committee of the New National Conservative Movement of Armenia sent an open letter to Catholicos of Cilicia, His Holiness Aram I.

“The Armenian-inhabited region of Samtskhe Javakheti is in spiritual blockade over the anti-Armenian policy pursued by the Georgian government. Armenian churches are being destructed or appropriated, with no reaction from the RA authorities. We believe that problems in Javakhk can be partially resolved with establishment of separate AAC diocese there,” the letter says.

“We have requested Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II to address the issue but received no response yet. So, we call on You to visit Javakhk and inspire hope in the Armenian population,” it says.

Javakhk is first mentioned under this very name in “Armenian History” by the V c. historian Movses Khorenatsy in regard to the administrative reforms realized by king Vagharshak. Regardless of the different interpretations of the list of the kings of the pre-Christian period, all the researchers agree that the aforementioned events date as far back as the II c. BC. In the IV c. BC Javakhk was the summer residence of the Georgian king Parnavaz, “In autumn and spring he lived in the city of Mtskhet , in summer in Javakhet and in winter in Ganchenk”. About 185 BC, Artashes I annexed the province to Metz Hayk Kingdom , while in 37 AD it became part of Georgia .

In the IV c. AD Javakhk is mentioned in the description of St. Nune's journey to Mtskhet,“... and in June I came to Mount Javakhet, and to the Parnava Sea, and when I came there I saw fishermen by the sea and shepherds on the seashore...”. When Armenia was first divided between Byzantium and Sassanid Persia, Javakhk was annexed to the Georgian Province headed by the Marzpan (the governor) of the province, along with the other provinces of Gugark Region.

The Armenian-Georgian war for Javakhk started on December 5, 1918 and was stopped after British interference on December 31. An agreement signed in Tiflis in January 1919 stated that the northern part of Borchalinsky district passed on to Georgia, the southern part passed on to Armenia while the middle (Lori and Zangezur) was announced a "neutral zone" and was under control of British governor-general.

In 1921, Turkish troops intruded into Javakhk, meeting no resistance from the Georgian army. As a result of the intrusion, half of the region’s population died.

After establishment of the soviet rule in Georgia, Javakhk issue was raised again. Overwhelming majority of the province stood for joining Armenia. A final decision was taken at the plenary session of the Caucasus Bureau and was forwarded to consideration of the Georgian Communist Party's Central Committee, which decreed that "taking into account Akhalkalaki's political and economic ties with Tiflis, the proposals of our Armenian comrades is unacceptable."