Georgia, Azerbaijan discussion power over old monastery’s territory


Georgia, Azerbaijan discussion power over old monastery’s territory

To hang on to the places of worship into Georgian region, Tbilisi enjoys recommended giving Azerbaijan a confirmed in public areas unspecified part away from Georgian homes near the Azerbaijani border

An unresolved edging between Georgia and Azerbaijan provides put not as much as matter among the many Southern area Caucasus’s greatest cultural and you can spiritual sites, the gothic David-Gareja monastery cutting-edge, based in Georgia and you may Azerbaijan.

Place in partial-desert specific 70 kilometers the southern part of of Tbilisi over the Georgian edging that have Azerbaijan and you will inside Azerbaijan correct, the newest cutting-edge, which has an abundant distinct cavern frescoes, might have been a webpage to possess disagreement as well as contemplation, since construction first started on the 6th century.

A lot more monasteries, particular nearly unreachable and you may mostly ruined, also are towards the Georgian area. Azerbaijan comes with the monastery out of Bertubani, which features frescoes of your own legendary 12th-13th 100 years Georgian King Tamara and her boy, Giorgi IV.

However, which would be to control brand new David-Gareja monastery? In the event that Soviet Relationship discussed the brand new limitations between your then Soviet republics away from Azerbaijan and you will Georgia, the latest monastery cutting-edge is actually broke up in 2. The brand new border among them today separate places possess remained intact because the 1991. Area of the edging experiences the top brand new 813-meter-large Udabno ridge (understood within the Azerbaijan due to the fact Keshishdag), and this harbors cavern monasteries towards the better and now have with the north (Georgian-controlled) and south (Azerbaijani-controlled) mountains.

This new monastery cutting-edge, which has undergone symptoms by the Tamerlane and you can Shah Abbas exactly the same, keeps strategic advantages for both Azerbaijan and you will Georgia. On Udabno ridge, each other Azerbaijani and Georgian area can be simply monitored. “Throughout the army point of view, so it standing enjoys advantages for countries,” said Uzeir Jafarov, a separate Azerbaijani army professional when you look at the Baku and you may a resigned colonel. “Theoretically, regarding army conflict, along side it and this has actually control over these heights becomes a good big advantage.”

Border conversations, lingering while the 1991, has just reentered the news headlines whenever Zviad Dzidziguri, a beneficial Georgian member of parliament into the opposition Traditional People, and chairman of Democratic Top faction, claimed that Azerbaijan got gone their edging that have Georgia making sure that one of the complex’s monasteries, Chichkhituri, was now within this Azerbaijani region, putting at stake the remaining monasteries under Georgian manage.

The new Georgian overseas ministry provides refused this new report. Inside a job interview with EurasiaNet, a leading-level Azerbaijani Condition Edging Handle Solution formal, just who questioned to remain anonymous, as well as stated that Azerbaijan had never ever went its border. But really, nevertheless, the newest debate goes on.

An educated-recognized a portion of the complex, the fresh Udabno cavern monastery, that contain frescoes matchmaking around regarding eighth for the 13th many years, while the monastery head office in the Lavra, are located in this Georgia

“Most of the we must would is to get a familiar vocabulary with these Azerbaijani colleagues,” Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Giorgi Manigaladze, just who manages the official Commission to your Border Delimitation and you will Demarcation, told journalists in the Tbilisi towards October 31.

“There is no area getting territorial exchange [having Georgia]. There are not any negotiations more this matter,” Deputy Overseas Minister Khalaf Khalafov, co-chairman of your own intergovernmental percentage into edging delimitation which have Georgia, told you during the a newspapers briefing into the Baku into the November 2. Azerbaijani authorities say that previously 36 months Georgia enjoys twice provided chapters of Georgian territory in return for detection out-of the present day border section of your own David-Gareja monastery, however, one Baku possess refused the new offers one another times.

“Which region [Azerbaijan’s part of the monastery] possess proper pros to own Azerbaijan. And then we do not have aim of providing they so you’re able to anyone,” Garib Mammadov, president of your own Azerbaijani Condition Residential property and you may Cartography Panel, said for the an interview toward Azerbaijani daily paper Mirror. “This is a strategic neglect. The whole Southern area Caucasus is monitored from this overlook very really. Why would we give it out?”


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