Georgian clerics in David Gareji report construction of ‘two huge barracks’ by Azerbaijan
The Georgian 6th Century David Gareji monastery complex is located at the conditional border with Azerbaijan. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Georgian clerics in the 6th Century David Gareji monastery complex, which lies on the conditional border with Azerbaijan, have reported the construction of ‘two huge barracks by Azerbaijan right near the monastery complex.’
It is a sign that Azerbaijan has no plans to leave the territory of the monastery complex,” Archimandrite Kirion told local media.
He stated that the number of Azerbaijani border guards has been increased to 70-80 since the beginning of the year and when the barracks are completed the number “is likely to reach 300.”
Kirion says that Azerbaijan has provided electricity “from an 18 kilometer distance [for the barracks], and made an inscription on the rock of the Udabno Monastery that ‘death for the homeland is a big honor.”
The Georgian Foreign Ministry has stated many times that negotiations are underway with Azerbaijan to settle the border issue. Photo: Foreign Ministry press office.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry and the church have urged clerics and the public to refrain from making statements which might harm the negotiation process between Georgia and Azerbaijan, as the border between the two countries has not been agreed upon since the collapse of the Soviet Union back in 1991.
The situation has become tense several times at the site over the past several months, and was deescalated after the involvement of state officials from both countries.
David Gareji is a complex of 22 rock-hewn monasteries and more than 5,000 cells and cave-cells, located in Georgia’s south-east.
Archimandrite Kirion says that Azerbaijani border guards have opened a tent on the territory of Georgia’s 6th century monastery complex David Gareji, which is located at the conditional border between Georgia and Azerbaijan.The cleric cites Azerbaijani border guards as saying that the tent is “a temporary measure and will be removed as the situation becomes stable.”
Parish and tourists will be re-allowed to the Chichkhituri and Easter monasteries of the David Gareji monastery complex before the end of the week, Deputy Head of the Georgian Border Police Teimuraz Kupatadze said.
The joint commission working on the demarcation of the Georgia-Azerbaijani border resumed its work today. Chaired by the Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia Lasha Darsalia and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Deputy FM Khalaf Khalafov, the Commission held it first meeting in Baku.
The Georgian Patriarchate has stated that positive steps have also been taken during the “active negotiations” of Georgia and Azerbaijan regarding Georgia’s 6th century monastery complex David Gareji located at the conditional border between the two countries.
Azerbaijani border guards have now allowed clerics and visitors to enter the medieval Georgian monastery David Gareji, Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani said. The president’s administration stated that it is important that the commission working on the demarcation of the Georgia-Azerbaijan border renew work on the issue.
Azerbaijan’s State Border Service has opened a new border post on the territory of Georgia’s 6th century David Gareji monastery complex, which is located on the conditional border as the border between the two countries has not been agreed since the collapse of Soviet Union back in 1991.
Georgian Patriarch Ilia II has addressed Chairman of the Caucasus Muslim Board, Sheik-ul-Islam Allahshuqur Pasha-zade, to mediate with the ‘brotherly nation’ of Azerbaijan to ‘fairly resolve issues’ in David Gareji as current actions by the country [Azerbaijan] regarding two monasteries in Georgia’s 6th century monastery complex David Gareji are ‘absolutely unclear.’
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia says that the Udabno and Chichkhituri monasteries in Georgia’s 6th Century David Gareji monastery complex, which have been closed by Azerbaijani border guards since the beginning of the year, will reopen to Georgian clerics starting tomorrow.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani says that new map materials found by Georgia may bring changes to the Georgian-Azerbaijani 2006-2007 agreement on border issues. On several occasions, the unagreed border has caused tension around Georgia’s 6th century David Gareji monastery complex which is located at the conditional border between Georgia and Azerbaijan.