Who needs Georgian confederation and what for?

National Assembly of Azerbaijanis of Georgia (NAAG) called for modification of the country's system of state on January 28. It was stated by NAAG President Dashgyn Gyulmamedov.

"We ask for creation of Georgian confederation comprising Georgian, Ossetian and Abkhazian subjects. Otherwise the Georgian statehood will be ruined, - Interfax Azerbaijan is quoting Gyulmamedov. Or, as he concludes, in a year's time the European Union, Russia and Turkey will take real actions to create such a confederation".

According to Gyulmamedov the confederal association meets the interests both of the national minorities and Georgia on the whole. Following the August events the country is in a deadlock, and such a variant would be a solution. On the occasion NAAG proposes creation of a two-chamber parliament in the future confederation where the lower chamber would be formed according to election results and the upper chamber would include national representatives of confederation subjects.

Gyulmamedov also made a significant reservation: the Azerbaijani living in Kvemo-Kartli region of Georgia do not ask to be recognized as a subject of the future confederation specifying:

"Azerbaijanis live in 17 districts of Georgia and only in 4 of them these are compact communities. That is why part of the Azerbaijani population will be beyond the autonomous establishment. This is contrary to our interests".

According to him what local Azerbaijanis want is to have their language recognized as an official one and thus "free from discrimination". This is NAAG's old wish. The Organization has long been stating that since 2004 Georgian government has been implementing a staged plan of liquidation of Azerbaijani schools in Kvemo-Kartli and Kakheti districts and in Tbilisi. According to NAAG giving the Azerbaijani language official recognition will improve the situation.

For the time being it is believed that chauvinistic Georgian officials can't tolerate compact communities of Azerbaijanis in Georgia. "There is only one goal in liquidation of Azerbaijani schools - to achieve "cultural deportation" of Azerbaijanis from Georgia", - he noted.

NAAG raised the language issue a year ago. But the Georgian authorities almost neglected the demands of the Azerbaijanis offering no feedback.

And what about Azerbaijan? What is its attitude towards its compatriots living in Georgia?

It is essential to consider the position of official Baku that prefers not to ask Georgia "national questions". On the whole the position can well be described in a proverb: "to have one's pie and eat it". Why?

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