CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VIII (2) ContEurVIII2 | Page 44

MANE BABAJANYAN
bringing the region under Turkish-Azerbaijani economic and political
influence through various projects (energy sector, direct investments).
They emphasize that Javakhk is the “trachea” of Armenia. Therefore, the
growing Turkish-Azerbaijani presence threats not only the region but also
Armenia itself.
Another way to preserve the Armenian community in Javakhk is
granting Armenian second language status in Georgia. The forced
learning of Georgian in “artificial ways” (i.e. all the official documents in
Georgia are inthe Georgian and Abkhazian languages that the majority of
Armenians do not understand) increases emigration rates among
Armenians. According to the anonymous researcher, until 2009,
Armenian authorities were guided by the reluctance to anger Georgia and
did not speak about this problem on an official level. Only in September
2009 did Serj Sargsyan, in a meeting with Georgian officials, mention
that the status of Armenian as a second language would improve relations
between the two countries. However, this statement has not reached a
practical level and was met with harsh criticism in Georgia.
Continuing the topic of the language problem, the expert stresses
that although Tbilisi Armenians know Georgian quite well, it does not
prevent them from facing difficulties. Whenever an Armenian living in
Tbilisi applies for a job, preference is always given to a Georgian
candidate. To get employment and become a full citizen, Armenians have
to change their surnames to Georgian ones. Sargsyan describes it as a
“process of ethnic assimilation,” which is especially disturbing in Tbilisi,
highlighting the intention of Georgian authorities to achieve
homogeneity. The discriminatory attitude of Georgian authorities at the
border can be applied to the same context. The expert mentions a number
of cases when Georgians working at the Armenian-Georgian border
checkpoint have taken Armenian books, newspapers, or journals from
people crossing the border en route to Georgia, and, in some extreme
cases, even have forbidden the entrance of some Armenians (i.e. the
expert themselves, Shirak Torosyan, Samvel Karapetyan).
It may be concluded from the interview that Armenia's security
may significantly be challenged by Turkish-Azerbaijani cooperation with
Georgia. The only way to counter it is building a strong and stable
Armenian community in Georgia, especially in the territories bordering
Armenia. It is possible only by responding to the problems of Javakhk
Armenians and speaking up for their rights in front of Georgian
44