Repatriation of Meskhetians Discussed in Tbilisi

Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Goga Khaindrava and the European Center for Minority Issues (ECMI) held a joint press conference over the issue of repatriation of Muslim Meskhetians to Georgia.

Georgian  State Minister Goga Khaindrava said that the exact number of those Meskhetians who want to return to Georgia is unknown at present; however, he added that in the event that they are repatriated they should not be settled in one region alone.

?We should discuss various regions, including Meskheti and Samtskhe-Javakheti, Guria, Imereti  and Kakheti, in case these Meskhetians are repatriated,? Khaindrava said, adding that Georgia faces no danger by repatriating these Muslim Meskhetians. 

The Meskhetians were deported from Georgia in 1944. One portion of this population is currently residing in Russia?s Krasnodar district, but do not have Russian citizenship. Upon accession to the Council of Europe (CoE) in 1999 Georgia undertook a commitment over the repatriation of the Muslim Meskhetians. This process should end by 2012.

According to a decree by the President of Georgia, a special commission has been set up to work over this issue. Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Goga Khaindrava chairs the commission.

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