February 19, 2002 - 22:52 AMT
JAVAKHK POPULATION AGAINST BUILDING KARS-AKHALKALAKI RAILWAY
The population of Javakhk has negative attitude toward the perspective of the building of Kars-Akhalkalaki railway. The co-chair of "Zang" party M. Torosian has stated that "if the railway is exploited, for 5-6 years ratio of ethnic structure of Javakhetia and neighboring regions will change, the threat of loss of native language, religion, culture arise". In his interview for local "A-info" agency he has stated that hundreds of Turkish policemen, soldiers and other undesirable to the population people will arrive under pretence of maintenance and protection of the railway. "We are against the establishment and strengthening trade, economic and cultural relations between the two countries, as regards the railway communication then it is more expedient to reconstruct the Kars-Gyumri-Tbilisi" communication that is convenient and profitable economically", has said M. Torosian.