20 June 2009, 18:00
The issue of Georgian-Azerbaijani border remains unsettled
The today's sitting of the Azeri-Georgian intergovernmental commission in Tbilisi has failed to bring closer the positions of both countries in delimitation and demarcation of the mutual border. This was stated by Khalaf Khalafov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan.
"By the outcomes of the sitting of the commission, no rapprochement in the border delimitation and demarcation issue was observed," said Mr Khalafov and added that "the countries failed to agree on some border sections," the "Gazeta.Ru" writes.
At the same time, according to the Minister, the parties decided to go on with consultations and to hold quite soon another sitting in Baku.
The unsettled demarcation issue of the Georgian-Azerbaijani border is touching on the fate of a major cultural and religious treasure of Georgia - David Garedzhi Monastery, as the state border divides it into two parts.
The Georgian party asserts that the premises of the monasteries complex located in the Azerbaijani are in a pitiable condition, and the border should pass in such a way as to keep the whole complex in the Georgian territory. This proposal to mutually exchange territories caused a fierce protest of the public in Azerbaijan.
The total length of the Azeri-Georgian border makes 480 km, of them 65 percent is agreed, writes the "News-Georgia" referring to both parties.
