October 23, 2003 - 19:44 AMT
SHEVARDNADZE ELECTION BLOC LEFT GEORGIAN ARMENIANS IN BACKGROUND
The Tbilisi Armenian population, traditionally having a pro-authority attitude, may vote for "Burjanadze-democrats" opposition bloc at the election of November 2. This is due to the fact that Armenians who number second in Georgia after Georgians themselves, are merely symbolically represented in the election list of Shevardnadze's "For New Georgia" bloc, "A-Info" agency reported. According to the source, the first Armenian in that list - Arnold Stepanian - is number 54. He is included after Azeri Mubaras Karayev and David Ahmetov, who are the 38-th and the 50-th. Further the list includes seven Azeris between Armenians Givi Shugarov (60-th place) and Alexander Movsisian (108-th place).