"CHURCHES IN CONTROVERSY ARE GEORGIAN, NOT ARMENIAN"

Aysor
July 29 2010
Armenia

The churches in controversy located in Georgia's capital and regions,
are Georgian, not Armenian, told Armenian reporters in Tbilisi Deputy
Foreign Minister of Georgia, Alexander Nalbandov.

He said that last research reports by scientists and historians
make it clear. "Georgia can't transfer historical monuments to an
individual which is the head of the Georgian Diocese of the Armenian
Apostolic Church. The heirship belongs to legal entities only. The
Armenian Apostolic Church isn't a legal entity in Georgia," detailed
Nalbandov adding that claims of the Armenian community of Georgia to
return the churches back are groundless.

Georgian official said that relations between Armenia and Georgia
could be better if Armenia at the international organisations like UN
backed and supported resolutions proposed by Georgia. When asked why
Georgia doesn't support Armenia's resolutions, Nalbandov said that
each county implements a policy of own interests. He also said that
Georgia meets halfway in relations with Armenia, citing the opening of
the Upper Lars Checkpoint and transit of Russian gas to Armenia via
Georgia as examples. But he was silent about the fact that Georgia
earns an income from gas transit via its territory.

Nalbandov also referred to Georgian-Russian relations and said that
Tbilisi is always ready to negotiate with Russia "in any format,
without preconditions and at equal positions."




From: A. Papazian