Georgian Minister on Diaspora Matters refused to come to Moscow

Iulon Gagoshidze, State Minister of Georgia on Diaspora Matters, will not take part in the "Congress of Georgians", planned on February 2 in Moscow, since he thinks that the Congress was designed "under the aegis of the government and personally Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, who had encroached on the territorial integrity of Georgia."

"The office of the of State Minister of Georgia on Diaspora Matters does not find it reasonable for members of Georgian Diaspora to take part in the Moscow 'Congress of Georgians' organized by the 'Union of Georgians in Russia', since the above Congress will be held under the aegis of the government and personally Russian president Dmitri Medvedev, who had encroached on the territorial integrity of Georgia and continue until today their occupation of a part of the territory of Georgia, and ethnic cleansings. None of self-respecting Georgians, whether famous or unknown, is going to take part in this 'Congress'," runs the letter sent on January 16 by Iulon Gagoshidze to the Georgian Diaspora in Russia, as quoted by the GHN Agency.

The Agency "New Region" reports that Mikhail Khubutiya, Chairman of the "Union of Georgians", invited all the well-known Georgians living in Moscow and Tbilisi to take part in the Congress. Mr Khubutiya asserts that no political issues will be touched on during the meeting with Dmitri Medvedev.