Georgia. Nizami Mammadzadeh – APA. “The Azerbaijanis living in Georgia are often kidnapped by Armenian frontier guards and criminal groups in Armenia,” director of the Caucasian Strategic Studies Center, expert Mamuka Areshidze told journalists, APA’s Georgia bureau reports.
“The Azerbaijanis settled near the border complain that the Armenians do not allow them to tend a herd in their pastures. Armenian frontier guards and criminal groups kidnap the Azerbaijanis living along the border. Not only the Armenian government, but also Georgia is guilty in it. The borders have not been determined exactly in some places. We call on the law-enforcement bodies to clarify these events,” he said.
According to Areshidze, they often send questionnaires to the local executive bodies, but never get answers.
“The Azerbaijanis told us that the Armenians kidnap the local Azerbaijanis, make them work on their farms and then release them,” he said.
Director of the Caucasian Strategic Studies Center also spoke about the way of the solution.
“Georgian side should accelerate demarcation of the borders with Armenia. Georgia should seriously deal with the security of its citizens. The border police should strengthen security. Such events may always happen, if these issues are not solved,” he said.
Residents of Sadakhli, Khuldere, Tezekend and Burma-Tezekend villages told APA that it often happens. They say the Armenians insult them, take their cattle and return only after getting money, sometimes do not return.
Representative of Sadakhli executive body Aflatun Valiyev told APA that the residents of the village Shahveled Ashigov, Mamish Dushdurov, GAlib Khanov were kidnapped by the Armenians last year.
“It happens every month. Residents of Sadakhli, Burma, Tezekend, Khuldere villages were kidnapped several times. Vagif Khudiyev has been kidnapped by Armenians recently. Together with the Georgian frontier guards I also participated in his release. He was warned not to cross the border again. Commissions function on delimitation of the borders,” he said.
Georgian MP David Darchiashvili said to journalists:
“Such incidents may happen, unless the borders are demarcated between the two countries,” he said.
Georgia media reports that the commission on demarcation of Armenia-Georgia borders has been operating for over 10 years. The commission has not coordinated 30 percent of the borders yet.
Source: http://www.apa.az
