Gagoshidze: Georgia may recognize "Circassian Genocide" before May 21

The Georgian parliament may recognize the so-called "Genocide of the Circassian Nation" before May 21, since the Circassian issue has rather powerful lobby in Georgia, said Yulon Gagoshidze, Minister on the Matters of Georgian Diaspora.

"Circassian associations around the world continue addressing the Parliament of Georgia urging to recognize the genocide of the Circassian people, committed by Russia during the Russian-Circassian War," says the statement posted on the website "Georgia Online".

The website also reports that the parliament of Georgia has been already addressed with a request to recognize the "genocide of the Circassian people" by the Circassian Association of Israel and Germany, as well as the Kabardino-Balkarian Regional Public Movement "Adyge Khekuzh - Cherkessia".

"As a result of that war, which lasted for more than a century, Circassians - one of the largest nations of the Caucasus - lost their homeland Circassia and found themselves scattered in more than fifty countries around the world. Today, only about 10 percent of all Circassians live in the Caucasus; and even here they are split both geographically and administratively," the statement further runs.

"Maybe someone can explain to me why Georgia should recognize genocide of one Georgia's enemy by another Georgia's enemy. Plenty of Circassian Diasporas are scattered over the world. Let them demand from their respective governments to recognize the genocide. What has Georgia to do with it, and what dividends will it have? It'll have problems, that's for sure; but benefits are not evident," user gelagelovani wrote in the blog of LiveJournal, run by politician Avraam Shmulevich, who deals with the issue.

"Besides, in debates on the 'Circassian issue' the use of the very word 'genocide' is causing much doubt. This term as a legal concept and as one of international crimes (and in this case it is used right in this meaning) appeared much later than the events in question, only in the twentieth century," said Azhdar Kurtov, an expert of the Russian Institute of Strategic Studies.