Adelkhanov: problem of resettling Meskhetian Turks to Georgia will remain unsolved for long

So far, no preparation of the Georgian government to resettlement of Meskhetian Turks to Georgia is seen, as stated by Emil Adelkhanov, a representative of the "Caucasian Institute of Georgia".

He believes that the words of Ibragim Burkhanov, chairman of the society of Meskhetian Turks "Vatan", about resettlement from Azerbaijan to Georgia of 17,000 persons after January 1, 2010 were incorrectly interpreted by journalists.

Earlier it was reported that Mr Burkhanov, when speaking about resettlement of Meskhetian Turks to Georgia, said that in the beginning of 2010 he expects consideration of all the applications submitted by Meskhetian Turks for granting them the status of repatriated persons; and that from next year the society of Meskhetian Turks "Vatan" (Homeland) will stop its activities in Azerbaijan; and that Ibragim Burkhanov himself will leave Azerbaijan in May 2010 and continue his work in Georgia.

According to Emil Adelkhanov, Burkhanov said that before January 1 he would submit to the Georgian government 17,000 Meskhetian Turks' applications on a permit to resettle to Georgia; 2000 applications have been already submitted; and January 1 is the deadline to do it. Journalists, according to his version, had interpreted these words absolutely differently.

"Even after resettlement of Meskhetian Turks to Georgia, there is no mechanism or project on where and how they would be accommodated. Neither the Georgian party nor Europe undertook to buy housing for resettlers and ensure jobs for them. It's all very foggy, and nobody knows that will happen," Adelkhanov said to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Political scientist and human rights activist Paata Zakareishvili said in his conversation with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that addition of 17,000 refugees to those 290,000 already present in different areas of Georgia will be a catastrophe. "The Georgian government has neither intention nor funds to address this problem; and, consequently, the process will take quite a lot of time," he has noted.

For several days in a row, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent tried to contact by phone and talk about the process to officials from the Georgian government, in particular, to Irakliy Kokaya, the official, as explained by the press centre of the Ministry for Refugees' Matters, in charge of the division dealing with Meskhetian Turks, but in vain.