From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Tue Jun 04 2002 - 13:30:51 EDT
ARMENIA TO OPEN CONSULATE IN KRASNODAR KRAI
An Armenian parliament delegation headed by Commission on Foreign Relations
Chairman
Hovannes Hovannisian has traveled to Krasnodar Krai for talks with
local officials on the problems facing the local Armenian population
(see "RFE/RL Newsline," 3 April and 17 May 2002). The Armenians met
with Krai Governor Aleksandr Tkachev and the ataman of the Kuban
Cossack Host, Vladimir Gromov, according to Arminfo on 31 May, as
cited by Groong. Gromov reportedly classified the region's Armenian
population in three distinct groups. He said that those Armenians
whose descendants had moved there centuries ago, and those who
resettled there in the 1950s, pose no problems for the local
authorities, unlike more recent settlers, some of whom he termed
illegal immigrants, whose presence and successful entrepreneurial
activities have created tensions between them and the local Russian
population. The Armenian delegation reached agreement with Tkachev
that Yerevan will open a consulate in the krai and maintain direct
contacts with the Krasnodar administration, RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau
reported on 3 June. LF
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