TBILISI, APRIL 26, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. During the visit that a delegation of French parliamentarians paid to Tbilisi on April 13-16, the Deputy of the National Assembly of France Roland Blum raised the problem of violated rights of the Javakheti Armenians at his meetings with members of the Georgian parliament and government. He said that the Georgian authorities do not solve the problems of Javakheti Armenians in line with European democratic standards on protection of ethnic minorities, the press service of Yerkir union reported. At the meetings Mr. Blum focused on the case of Javakheti Armenian political figure Vahagn Chakhalian who was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment on the charges trumped up by Georgian authorities. According to R. Blum, in persecuting the Javakheti Armenian activist, Georgia's authorities are guided by obviously political motives. The Georgian officials rejected the arguments of R. Blum and made an attempt to convince him that Vahagn Chakhalian is an "ordinary hooligan" who now serves an "adequate" sentence. Presenting the results of the discussions on the problems of Javakhk that he held during his trip to Georgia, R. Blum assured the Yerkir union that he will continue his efforts on defence of the rights of Javakheti Armenians, in particular he will take steps to raise the issue of Vahagn Chakhalian at the April 26-30 session of the PACE.

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