Georgian authorities' policy may urge Samtskhe-Javakheti Armenians to demand secession from Georgia, Head of Yerkir Union Sevak Artsruni announced in Yerevan. "Official Tbilisi does not realize that radical policy in relation to Armenians is against their interests. That may lead to extreme solutions of the problem," Artsruni said, not ruling out possibility of secession in constitutional manner.

With regard to possible influence of border opening on Samtskhe-Javakheti Armenians, Artsruni said it would significantly weaken Georgia's policy as a transit state. "But we do not have much positive expectations of border opening," he added.