SYDNEY: Georgian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Nalbandov denied that the government of Georgia persecutes Javakhk-Armenians when questioned by Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia) Executive Director Varant Meguerditchian at a lecture in Sydney this week. Addressing an audience of 100 at Australia’s peak policy forum, The Sydney Institute, Minister Nalbandov spoke of Georgia’s growing ties with Europe, NATO and Australia but ignored domestic issues regarding minorities in the former Soviet republic. When asked by Meguerditchian how Georgia expects to join the EU and build relations with Australia while still persecuting Armenians in Javakhk and appropriating Armenian churches, Nalbandov claimed: “There is no persecution of ethnic minorities in Georgia; it has never been the case.” Although acknowledging that the Georgian government held Armenian church property, the Georgian politician of Armenian origin denied that Armenian church appropriation was taking place. Instead, he trivialised the matter by claiming that it was an “issue of property ownership and a lack of cultural integration”. Nalbandov stated that the Armenian Apostolic Church could not own property because it was not a registered religion in Georgia, and while offering advice to register, he neglected to mention that as a result of cumbersome registration laws, the Georgian Orthodox Church remains the only registered religious entity. The policy of discrimination is further perpetuated by Georgia’s placement of limitations on the use of the Armenian language in schools, the conversion of Armenian schools in Javakhk into Georgian state schools and the prosecution of outspoken community leaders seeking the restoration of rights for the Armenian minority. In a statement after the lecture, Meguerditchian suggested that Georgia would have difficulty entering the European Union while maintaining a discriminatory policy aimed against its ethnic Armenian minority. He said: “Whilst Georgia continues to infringe upon the rights of the indigenous Armenian population of Javakhk, Georgia cannot claim to share Western values and principles.” "Whist the Armenian Apostolic Church is not granted legal status and the Georgification of Armenian churches continues, Georgian accession to the European Union will remain an impossibility.” Later, commenting on the activities of ANC Australia regarding Javakhk, Meguerditchian stated: “We are actively bringing Georgia’s treatment of Javakhk Armenians to the attention of the Australian public and legislators. We will continue until the rights of Javakhk Armenians are restored.”

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