Georgia Rules 19th-Century Caucasus Killings Were Genocide

May 20 (Bloomberg) -- Georgian lawmakers voted today to recognize the 19th-century killing and deportation of North Caucasus natives by Tsarist Russia as genocide, becoming the first country to do so, parliament member Giorgi Gabashvili said.

Georgia says Circassians, the indigenous peoples of the Northwest Caucasus, were murdered and exiled as Russian forces took over the region in the Caucasus War between 1817 and 1864. While Russia hasn't apologized for what happened, former president Boris Yelstin called the events tragic in 1994.

Georgia's parliament unanimously approved the "historic" decision at a vote attended by members of the Circassia community in Tbilisi, Gabashvili told reporters. While the move may anger Russia, it should accept the decision "in a civilized manner," he added.

Relations between the two counties are strained after Russia won a five-day war with its southern neighbour over the separatist region of South Ossetia in August 2008. While Russia recognizes the region as an independent state and has agreed to defend its borders, Georgia still claims sovereignty over it.

--Editors: Andrew Langley, Balazs Penz