Georgian Minister: "Georgia is ready to receive Meskhetian Turks"

State Minister of Georgia George Haindrava announced at his press conference in Baku on January 30, 2006, that Georgia is ready to receive people deported from Meskhetia in 1944. According to the Minister, at the spring session the Parliament of Georgia plans to adopt a law on restoration of Meskhetians rights.

Haindrava stated, that Meskhetians are "ethnic Georgians," and Meskhetia is "the center of the Georgian civilization." Meskhetians that return to Georgia will be given the opportunity to define their national identity. They will be also rehabilitated as Georgia citizens.

According to the Minister, the territories where Meskhetians used to live are now partially populated. The authorities, however, will do their best to return the repatriates to their native lands. The Minister nevertheless stressed that all Georgia is their Motherland, therefore they may also lodge in other suitable regions.

As it was mentioned previously in Caucasian Knot, out of 11 ethnic groups subjected to repressions in the USSR, only Meskhetian Turks have so far not been able to return to their native land. This information was provided by "VATAN", the Association of Meskhetian Turks in Azerbaijan.