Shifting responsibility

Some Russian media have resumed discussing the topic of Meskhetian Turks staying in the Krasnodar territory, still planning to return to their homeland, Georgia, from where they were deported to Central Asia in 1944, a statement says published on the website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to Gazeta.Ru.

"As is known, when joining the Council of Europe in 1999, Georgia undertook an international legal obligation to receive them. However, the Georgian authorities in Tbilisi do not even try to appear to seriously intend to solve the problem. Meanwhile, the way the Council of Europe reminds Georgia about it looks like friendly reproaches, rather than efforts to urge Georgia to meet its obligations, not to mention sanctions the COE provides for such cases. Useless discussions about the need to pass a framework law on repatriation that would codify the principles and deadlines of the Meskhetian Turks' return have been under way in Tbilisi for six years already, but the situation does not change," the statement says.

"Thus, Georgia's disregard of its obligations and international law results in unjustified difficulties for several thousand people who want to return to their historic homeland," the Foreign Ministry emphasises in its statement.

The problem of Meskhetian Turks became urgent in Russia after mass pogroms in the Fergana region, Uzbekistan, in June 1989 when more than 90,000 Turks had to leave Uzbekistan and move to other union republics, mainly to Azerbaijan and Russia. It should be noted Russia has not been able to ensure their rights since then either.

More info about Meskhetian Turks:

• Monitoring of the Condition of Ethnic Minorities in the Krasnodar Territory. Autumn 2003/Winter 2003-04
• The Condition of Meskhetian Turks in the Krasnodar Territory and the Territorial Government Migration Policy
• The Condition of Meskhetian Turks in the Krasnodar Territory, February 2004
• The Condition of Meskhetian Turks in the Krasnodar Territory, January 2004
• The Condition of Meskhetian Turks in the Krasnodar Territory, November 2003
• Yusuf Sarvarov and Meskhetian Turks' movement for return to homeland