People’s Court: Is Demarcation of Armenia-Georgia Border Most Important Issue in Fostering Relations?

A civil hearing will take plat at the Palace of Culture in the Armenian town of Noyemberyan at 2 pm on Jun. 4, during which time journalist Voskan Sargsyan’s suit against the situation on the Armenia-Georgia border (that is, the fact that the border is still not determined in some parts) will be examined. Entrance is free and open to all those who are interested.

The claimant is proposing to appeal to the Armenian government on behalf of the settlements along the Georgia border so that the Armenia-Georgia Intergovernmental Commission can accelerate the demarcation process of the Armenia-Georgia border that has already been delayed by 20 years. The claimant’s two arguments are:

1. From time to time, in separate segments of the Armenia-Georgia border, there are incidents and altercations involving Armenian villagers and Armenian and Georgian border guards. Often covered by different news outlets unilaterally, from the viewpoint of the given country’s interests, they don’t contribute to the development of friendship between the two peoples.

2. As a result of the border not being delimited, Armenian villagers are unable to cultivate their lands along the border corridor.

The defendant will be Noyemberyan Community Union General Director Andranik Veranyan, who believes that the issue of the existence of a demarcation line or its absence in certain sections is not the most important issue in Armenian-Georgian relations; more important is the use of the full potential of Armenian-Georgian cooperation.

Veranyan finds that work needs to be done in the border corridors and settlements, to raise and coordinate existing problems and appeal to the authorities with proposals. The defendant also notes that the economic component has a priority significance for both sides. Among other reasons for this is the fact that farmers in the border settlements are far from central markets, the level of poverty is higher here than in the countries’ central regions and residents of both sides of the border have a stake in trade-economic relations.

The civil hearing (“people’s court”) will be presided over by Georgy Vanyan and jury members includes head of the Bagratashen village Arkadi Makyan, head of the Baghanis village Stepan Sahakyan, head of programs division at Noyemberyan city hall Shirak Yedigaryan, head of the no. 2 kindergarten in Noyemberyan Parandzem Khangeldyan, head of the village of Koti Felix Melikyan.

Participating in the discussion will also be representatives from educational and civic establishments from Noyemberyan, and the villages of Berdavan, Dovegh, Barekamavan, Voskepar, Voskevan, Koghb, Jujevan, Haghtanak, and Zorakan.

The event is organized by the Caucasus Center of Peace-Making Initiatives.

Photo: mediaforum.az