Doc. 9762

1 April 2003

Issue of the Meskhetian Turks

Written Question No. 422

Reply from the Committee of Ministers

adopted at the 833rd meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies (26 March 2003)

I. Written Question No. 422 by Lord Judd (Doc. 9600)

To ask the Committee of Ministers,

Whether it will give consideration to the issue of the Meskhetian Turks as presented by the International Society of Meskhetian Turks and whether it will present the conclusions to the Assembly.

II. Reply by the Committee of Ministers

The Committee of Ministers understands that the question by the honourable parliamentarian does not refer to a specific written document presenting the views of the non-governmental organisation, International Society of Meskhetian Turks “Vatan”.

The Committee of Ministers is aware that the statutes of the International Society of Meskhetian Turks “Vatan” postulate as one of its aims the return to historical motherland in Georgia.

As regards an eventual return to Georgia of persons belonging to the group of formerly deported Meskhetian Turks, the Committee of Ministers takes a firm position that any decision to return must be a matter of individual free choice based on clear options and must take place in conditions of safety and dignity, in full respect of the human rights of the returnees and the host population.

This position is supported international organisations such as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities, the International Organisation for Migration, as witnessed by the informal conclusions of the latest inter-agency meeting on issues relating to the situation of the Meskhetian Turks held in Strasbourg on 23 May 2002 at the invitation of the Council of Europe.

The Committee of Ministers recalls that at on 18 September 2002, at its 808th meeting it adopted a reply to written question No 410 by the honourable parliamentarian Mr Gürkan (Doc 9555). The position expressed with regard to the population formerly deported from Samskhe-Javakheti region of Georgia stands valid today.

The Committee of Ministers reiterates its appeal to State authorities and other organisations to exercise utmost restraint in speaking in the name of potential returnees or taking steps likely to create unrealistic expectations and to address the issues in a pragmatic way, strictly on Human Rights and humanitarian grounds.

The Committee of Ministers appreciates Georgia’s efforts in promoting dialogue between Turkish Meskhetian community organisations and Georgian authorities, as well as in drafting the law on repatriation. It reiterates that Georgia must fully respect all commitments assumed upon accession to the Council of Europe, including the commitment regarding the population formerly deported from the Samskhe-Javakheti region of Georgia.