OSCE Mission supports conference on situation of minorities in South-Eastern Georgia

TBILISI, 8 December 2006 - Helping young people from ethnic minorities get access to education and employment and overcome language barriers is the purpose of an OSCE-funded conference that began in Marneuli today.

Participants are discussing the situation in the Kvemo Kartli region, which has a minority population.

"We are happy to assist the government with programmes that aim at integrating ethnic minorities into Georgian society," said Ambassador Roy Reeve, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Georgia. "This conference is part of a wider Mission-funded project to support civic participation in the Kvemo Kartli Region."

The Union of Azeri Women of Georgia is leading the conference discussions. Representatives of international organizations, the diplomatic corps, development organizations and local NGOs are also taking part in the seminar.