The issue of Ahıska Turks in the light od identity, interest and geopolitics

Kipchaks, ancestors of Ahıska Turks, left their country under the Russian pressure, and settled in Ahıska in the 12th century. Ahıska had also been a homeland by some other Turkish tribes before the settlement. The contact of descendants of Kipchaks with the Russians had reemerged since the beginning of the 19th century. Ahıska Turks who contacted with Russians in the period of Ottoman rule, entered into the Russian domination starting with the Edirne Treaty dated on September 14, 1829. The foundations of the issue of Ahıska Turks were laid in this period of change of sovereignty. Russian Empire laid the foundations of the issue by compelling the settlement of Armenians who migrated from Anatolia into Ahilkelek which then was a part of Ahıska. Russians, making this move, had set the ground to be able control Ahıska which was a region of strategic importance in the Caucasus through cooperation of an ethnic group that serves for Russian interests. In connection with this issue, Russians made a second move by deporting grandsons of Kipchaks to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan on 14 November, 1944 during the Soviet Union era and achieved their ultimate goal. Along with deportation, Ahıska became a region of Armenian majority. This situation serving Russian interests, has even still been continuing today. Russian Federation, the successor of Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, continues implementing the same policies of her predecessors. Accordingly the linkage between the issue of Ahıska Turks and the Russian interests constitutes one of the most important causes of deadlock. Ahıska Turks, who started the repatriation campaigns in 1956, have yet to accomplish their tasks. The issue, together with the collapse of the Soviet Union, gained an international status. Georgia opposes the repatriation of Ahıska Turks. On the other hand it was forced to accept the condition of the repatriation for the sake of achieving the membership of the Council of Europe in 1999. In line with this, Georgia, which was to complete the process of the repatriation in 2011, has deliberately tended to leave the process unsolved altough it did approve the law of the repatriation within this context on 11 July 2007. The parties to the issue are Georgia, Russian Federation, Turkey, and the Ahıska Turks. National interest of each party is the essential factor to shape policies in dealing with the issue. However, the geostrategic position and identity politics of Ahıska Turks are also significant in shaping the aforementioned policy. As a matter of fact, these two factors in question have a severe impact on the decision of Ahıska Turks's deportation, and enable to establish the linkage with Russian interests. Regional and global organizations are not able to put in practice any initiative for peace just because of this absolute linkage. The purpose of this study is to ensure an understanding of the issue comprehensively, to create a reference for future studies and to help officials who take part in the resolution processes.