ARMENIA LAYS CLAIM TO OVER 20 CHURCHES IN GEORGIA
Hayots Ashkharh
Dec 20 2008
Armenia
"Armenia protests"
Negotiations with the Georgian side are under way and they [the
Georgian side] promised to solve the issue of six churches of the
Armenian Apostolic Church’s Armenian Diocese in Georgia. The churches
are considered to be "disputed" and are not under the diocese’s
subordination.
According to the head of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, bishop
Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, the Armenian side has clearly stated its
approach that it is against setting up any committee in connection
with the issue of six closed Armenian churches (Norashen, Saint
Nshan, Shamkhoretsots Saint Astvatsatsin, Mughni Saint Gevorg and
Saint Minas in Tbilisi, and Saint Nshan in Akhaltsikhe [predominantly
Armenian-populated town in southwestern Georgia]). These [churches]
are Armenian, the evidence is Armenian records, and these churches
cannot be disputable. The Armenian side can only discuss the issue
of over 20 already Georgianized Armenian churches. Seven of them are
in Tbilisi alone.