OSCE HCNM visit to Georgia
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From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, 11 Jun 1998 15:19:45 +0300 (EET DST)
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Subject: OSCE HCNM visit to Georgia
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Original sender: Felix Corley <[email protected]>
OSCE HCNM visit to Georgia
NEWS AGENCY
CAUCASUS PRESS
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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1998
WE DO NOT NEED LAW ON NATIONAL MINORITIES
TBILISI. CAUCASUS PRESS. 06-10-98. "Georgia does not need to pass a law
on national minorities" Chairman of the Parliament Committee for Human
Rights and National Minorities Constantine Kokoyev said during his
meeting with OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities, Max Van der
Stoel on Wednesday. The main target of the visit of the OSCE
Commissioner to Georgia is to study the situation with national
minorities in the republic. The possibility of passing the bill on
national minorities by the Parliament of Georgia was also considered at
the meeting between Mr. Van der Stoel and Constantine Kokoyev.
Commenting on the matter Kokoyev said in his interview with CAUCASUS
PRESS, "First of all it is still premature to speak about such law, as
the territorial integrity of Georgia has not been restored yet. Second,
there is no necessity in such law - the Constitution protects the rights
of national minorities well enough, especially as there exist
many-centuries- long traditions of tolerance towards other nations in
Georgia. Besides such law could initiate splitting among the nations,
residing in the republic".
HELDAR SHENGELAYA - ABKHAZ CONFLICT IN PROGRESS
TBILISI. CAUCASUS PRESS. 06-10-98. "The Abkhaz conflict will not be
settled until the hegemony of Russia preserves" deputy Chairman of
the Parliament of Georgia Heldar Shengelaya said during his meeting with
OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities on Wednesday. He believes
the regulation of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict proceeds normally in
contrast to that of the Abkhaz one, which is in progress. Shengelaya
says the Abkhaz side gives no chance for the peaceful regulation, as it
makes no compromises. It has become especially obvious after the
incidents in Gali region of May 20 - 27. It was then that Abkhazia
undertook wide-scale punitive operations on the background of relative
stabilisation in the region of the conflict, and chased away thousands
peaceful residents from their homes. After this the negotiations on the
regulation have come into a deadlock. In his conversation with OSCE
representative Heldar Shengelaya expressed his surprise that no
international organisation, except OSCE reacted to the aggravation of
the situation in Abkhazia.
HELDAR SHENGELAYA - THE RETURN OF MESKHETIANS TO GEORGIA DEPENDS ON
THE SITUATION IN THE REPUBLIC
TBILISI. CAUCASUS PRESS. 06-10-98. "The bill on the repatriation of
Meskhetians to Georgia, considering all the issues, associated with this
problem is in the process of drafting" Deputy Chairman of the Parliament
of Georgia Heldar Shengelaya said in his conversation with OSCE High
Commissioner for National minorities on Wednesday. He believes the
return of Turk-Meskhetians to Georgia is possible only step-by-step:
first of all it is explained with the economic situation in Georgia,
and, second, there are a lot among them, who consider themselves Turks.
Besides, the Abkhaz conflict also forms a lot of complications and
problems, and the solution of the problem of Meskhetians depends of the
regulation of this conflict.
In his interview with CAUCASUS PRESS Heldar Shengelaya doubted the
correctness of the information on the number of Meskhetians: "300
thousand is mentioned today. However I am not sure in its correctness,
as in 1944, when the Meskhs were deported from Georgia their number did
not exceed 70 thousand. In conformity with the latest census 200
thousand Meskhs were recorded. In this view we cannot allow mass
repatriation. Next year Georgia will be able to receive not more than
1000 people" Heldar Shengelaya said.
GURAM SHARADZE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT ANY BILL ON MESKHETIANS
TBILISI. CAUCASUS PRESS. 06-10-98. "Any law, in this or than way
connected with the repatriation of Turk-Meskhetians is within the
competence of the Committee for Migration and Compatriots abroad", said
Guram Sharadze, Chairman of the above Parliament Committee and one of
the most active oppositionists against the return of Meskhetians to
Georgia in his interview with CAUCASUS PRESS. "I hear it for the first
time as though a bill on the problem is in the process of drafting, and
I believe Georgia has no possibility to receive and provide dwelling for
hundred thousands of Turk-Meskhetians" Sharadze said.
COPYRIGHT BY CAUCASUS PRESS
EDITOR: MEDEYA BLAGIDZE
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