Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Giorgi Khaindrava, who also chairs the state commission for repatriation of Meskhetians, started a working visit on October 10 to those countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States where Meskhetians, deported from Georgia, are currently residing.

Giorgi Khaindrava plans to tour Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan on October 10-16 and discuss with the local authorities and representatives of the deported Meskhetians repatriation issues.

The Muslim population of the southern Georgian region of Samtskhe-Javakheti was deported to other parts of former Soviet Union, mainly to Central Asia in 1944 by Joseph Stalin. Georgia undertook a commitment to repatriate them while joining the Council of Europe in 1999.