Tweet
KARABAKH IN MINIATURE: GEORGIA AND AZERBAIJAN FAIL TO SOLVE DAVIT GAREJA MONASTERY DISPUTE NOT TO VIOLATE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY
By Aris Ghazinyan
ArmeniaNow
24.05.12 | 15:49
For the past two decades a giant monastery complex Davit Gareja,
60 km to the southeast of Tbilisi, on the Georgian-Azeri border,
has been the subject of dispute and tensions in the relations between
Baku and Tbilisi.
The complex that stretches for 25 kilometers is of exclusive value
with its numerous rock-hewn churches built between the 6th and 8th
centuries. The main monastery is the Lavra of Saint Davit of Gareja-
Eastern-Christian Assyrian monk who lived in 6-7th cc.
There are a great number of Georgian and Armenian inscriptions
preserved there, as well as eight Greek and more than twenty Arabian.
For more that two decades Georgia and Azerbaijan are trying to do
demarcation and delimitation of the border, however after 2007 no step
has been taken in that direction. The Georgian foreign ministry reports
that only 66 percent of the frontier has been reconciled so far.
Tensions have escalated again, this time in early May, when Azeri
frontiers without prior agreement or warning advanced their outpost
for some two kilometers into the Georgian area.
Azerbaijan's one-sided actions outraged Tbilisi, which led to a public
march of protest against the Azeri aggression, which had willfully
taken control over the disputed border land.
Thousands of believers participating in the march - among them about
100 clergymen, famous workers of art, politicians - walked all the
way from the center of Tbilisi to the monastery complex.
Social movement "Protect Davit Gareja" took up mobilization of
volunteers ready to stand up for the Georgian people's right to the
holy place.
The movement leaders doubt that the issue can be solved by peaceful
means, hence have started recruiting war veterans with combat
experience.
The dispute origins date back to the soviet times and the carelessness
with which USSR leaders drew administrative borders among the
member-republics.
As a result the giant monastery complex comprising of twenty rock-hewn
churches, hundreds of cells, chapels, refectories, and living quarters,
got divided by the border with the main church - Lavra of Saint Davit
of Gareja - appearing on the Azeri side of the Soviet-drawn border.
Recently Najaf Museybli, deputy director of the Institute of
Ethnography and Archeology of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan,
stated that: "In the ancient times an Albanian kingdom settled these
territories, and Georgians didn't live here. With time our ancestors
settled here...It's not subject to discussion."
"Azerbaijanis' claims that they are successors of Caucasian Albanians
sound almost the same as if today's Turks would claim they are
successors of Byzantine," countered Tbilisi-based political analyst
Soso Tsintsadze.
During their May 21 meeting Georgian and Azeri presidents instructed
their respective border departments to carry out joint control over
the disputed land.
But it's only a temporary solution, officials in Tbilisi warn.
Commissions on delimitation of frontiers have yet to define on whose
territory the disputed part of the monastery is located.
"Tbilisi has a concrete offer," Giga Bokeria, head of the Security
Council of Georgia said during live broadcast on the First Georgian
TV Channel. "In exchange for the disputed land Azerbaijan is free to
choose one the other five border lands of Georgia of equal value."
Nonetheless, Tbilisi made a similar offer several years ago, and Baku
turned it down.
"None of the sides wants to allow a precedent, when the border gets
even slightly changed and lands are exchanged. It's a very delicate
issue for Georgia and Azerbaijan for as long as each has its own
issues with territorial integrity," says theologian Levan Abashidze,
expert at Georgian Parliament's department of research.
No doubt he was referring to the Armenian-Azeri confrontation.
The disputed story of Davit Gareja Monastery is "Karabakh
in Miniature". Azeri authorities call Armenian churches Amaras,
Dadivank, Gandzasar and the entire territory of historic Artsakh
(Nagorno Karabakh) as "monuments of Albanian-Azeri heritage".
But if in their case Georgians insist on the victory of "historic
justice", they turn a blind eye to the same justice when it comes
to Armenians.
Hence, the Davit Gareja Monastery issue once again demonstrates
international double standards in miniature.
By Aris Ghazinyan
ArmeniaNow
24.05.12 | 15:49
For the past two decades a giant monastery complex Davit Gareja,
60 km to the southeast of Tbilisi, on the Georgian-Azeri border,
has been the subject of dispute and tensions in the relations between
Baku and Tbilisi.
The complex that stretches for 25 kilometers is of exclusive value
with its numerous rock-hewn churches built between the 6th and 8th
centuries. The main monastery is the Lavra of Saint Davit of Gareja-
Eastern-Christian Assyrian monk who lived in 6-7th cc.
There are a great number of Georgian and Armenian inscriptions
preserved there, as well as eight Greek and more than twenty Arabian.
For more that two decades Georgia and Azerbaijan are trying to do
demarcation and delimitation of the border, however after 2007 no step
has been taken in that direction. The Georgian foreign ministry reports
that only 66 percent of the frontier has been reconciled so far.
Tensions have escalated again, this time in early May, when Azeri
frontiers without prior agreement or warning advanced their outpost
for some two kilometers into the Georgian area.
Azerbaijan's one-sided actions outraged Tbilisi, which led to a public
march of protest against the Azeri aggression, which had willfully
taken control over the disputed border land.
Thousands of believers participating in the march - among them about
100 clergymen, famous workers of art, politicians - walked all the
way from the center of Tbilisi to the monastery complex.
Social movement "Protect Davit Gareja" took up mobilization of
volunteers ready to stand up for the Georgian people's right to the
holy place.
The movement leaders doubt that the issue can be solved by peaceful
means, hence have started recruiting war veterans with combat
experience.
The dispute origins date back to the soviet times and the carelessness
with which USSR leaders drew administrative borders among the
member-republics.
As a result the giant monastery complex comprising of twenty rock-hewn
churches, hundreds of cells, chapels, refectories, and living quarters,
got divided by the border with the main church - Lavra of Saint Davit
of Gareja - appearing on the Azeri side of the Soviet-drawn border.
Recently Najaf Museybli, deputy director of the Institute of
Ethnography and Archeology of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan,
stated that: "In the ancient times an Albanian kingdom settled these
territories, and Georgians didn't live here. With time our ancestors
settled here...It's not subject to discussion."
"Azerbaijanis' claims that they are successors of Caucasian Albanians
sound almost the same as if today's Turks would claim they are
successors of Byzantine," countered Tbilisi-based political analyst
Soso Tsintsadze.
During their May 21 meeting Georgian and Azeri presidents instructed
their respective border departments to carry out joint control over
the disputed land.
But it's only a temporary solution, officials in Tbilisi warn.
Commissions on delimitation of frontiers have yet to define on whose
territory the disputed part of the monastery is located.
"Tbilisi has a concrete offer," Giga Bokeria, head of the Security
Council of Georgia said during live broadcast on the First Georgian
TV Channel. "In exchange for the disputed land Azerbaijan is free to
choose one the other five border lands of Georgia of equal value."
Nonetheless, Tbilisi made a similar offer several years ago, and Baku
turned it down.
"None of the sides wants to allow a precedent, when the border gets
even slightly changed and lands are exchanged. It's a very delicate
issue for Georgia and Azerbaijan for as long as each has its own
issues with territorial integrity," says theologian Levan Abashidze,
expert at Georgian Parliament's department of research.
No doubt he was referring to the Armenian-Azeri confrontation.
The disputed story of Davit Gareja Monastery is "Karabakh
in Miniature". Azeri authorities call Armenian churches Amaras,
Dadivank, Gandzasar and the entire territory of historic Artsakh
(Nagorno Karabakh) as "monuments of Albanian-Azeri heritage".
But if in their case Georgians insist on the victory of "historic
justice", they turn a blind eye to the same justice when it comes
to Armenians.
Hence, the Davit Gareja Monastery issue once again demonstrates
international double standards in miniature.