GEORGIAN ARMENIANS DEMAND GENOCIDE RECOGNITION

[MosJan]

Representatives of Armenian educational, youth, women and other non-governmental organizations in Georgia called Monday for stepping up activities to have Georgia's parliament recognize the 1915 Armenian genocide.

 

Head of Armenian community in the capital Tbilisi Arnold Stepanian told the meeting had adopted a letter addressed to Georgian parliament charwoman Nino Burjanidze urging her to push for the recognition of the genocide, which the letter says, would be appreciate highly not only in Georgia but also in other countries.

[MosJan]

ARMENIAN, AZERI MEMBERS OF GEORGIAN PARLIAMENT DISRUPT ITS WORK

TBILISI, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS: The parliament of former Soviet republic of Georgia had to stop work today after its members, representing the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities, began a dispute over a proposal by an Armenian deputy to commemorate the victims of the 1915 Armenian genocide by a one-minute silence. The proposal met a harsh counter reaction from the Azerbaijani members of the parliament.

Azerbaijani lawmakers argued that "it is the parliament of Georgia but not of Armenia." In an attempt to diffuse the tension parliament chairwoman Nino Burjanidze offered to respect the memory of all peaceful citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia who fell victims to military conflicts. The offer was supported by both Armenians and Azeris, but after the one minute silence expired, they resumed the dispute which forced the chairwoman to close the session.