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Ibrahim Burhanov: â€œAhiska Armenians agreed to return our homes for moneyâ€

03 April 2008 15:11 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Ramil Mammadli-APA. â€œAhiska Turks should individually apply for the status of repatriate in 2008 and officially move next yearâ€. Ibrahim Burhanov, Chairman of Ahiska Turks â€œVatanâ€ (â€œMotherlandâ€) Society told APA that it was important for his compatriots to receive the status of repatriate to return to their homeland. He said 31 families had already moved to Georgia, but not received the status yet. Burhanov said they would appeal the Georgian embassies in an orderly way. â€œOn the other hand, the term of fulfilling the Georgian Parliamentâ€™s decision on the repatriation of the Ahiska Turks was delayed and no term was defined for the movement process. It is impossible, because most of Ahiska Turks are residing in the villages and it will be difficult for them to follow this procedure. We will provide all of them with applications for the status of repatriationâ€. Burhanov said Support Fund for the Ahiska Turksâ€™ returning has been established for the funding of their movement and international organizations promised to assist this fund. He said there would be no problem in the housing of Turks in Ahiska, known as a Samtskhe-Javakhetia, Georgia. â€œArmenians living in Ahiska acknowledged they occupied our homes. Most of them agreed to return these houses for moneyâ€.