Ahiska Turkish American Council Dear Chairman, As representative of a public organisation Involved in the protection of the rights of the Ahiska Turks (Meskhetian Turks), I wish to draw your attention to the problem that has brought these people, the autochthonous (indigenous) people of Georgia, to the very brink of extinction. 78 years have passed since all these people, who are the autochthonous (indigenous) people of Georgia, were forcibly resettled by Stalin's regime on the initiative of the Georgian authorities. As a result of their discriminatory policy, our people are settled in nine countries of the world and have turned into national minorities in these countries. They lost their historical homeland and found themselves fighting for survival. In 1999, Georgia made an undertaking to return our people to their homeland. Having adopted a formal law on repatriation, making the document acceptance and repatriation procedures as difficult as possible, the Georgian authorities have nullified the efforts of all international organisations and of all peoples deported from Georgia on return to their homeland.