REPRESENTATIVES OF GEORGIAN AND ARMENIAN CLERGY REGRET THE INCIDENT
IN AKHALKALAKI REGION OF GEORGIA

TBILISI, JULY 22, ARMINFO-BLACK SEA PRESS. Representatives of Georgian
Orthodox Church and Armenian Apostle Church regret the incident in
the village of Samsar in Akhalkalaki region of South Georgia, the
place of compact residents of Armenians in Georgia.

Head of foreign relations department of Patriarchy of Georgia Bishop
Gerasim (Sharashenidze) and head of Armenian eparchy in Georgia bishop
Vazgen Mirzakharnyan signed the joint statement propagated on May 21.

“We categorically condemn any violence. Such incidents are harmful or
the both parties and are in favour of the enemies”, – the statement
goes. The head of Armenian eparchy in Georgia apologized to the
victims of the incident in Samsar.

“We call at the people of the region to hold dialogue and to be calm.
One should not be the victim of misunderstanding. Centuries-long
friendship and fraternity between the Georgian and Armenian peoples
give the ground for solution of all the problems by peace, dialogue,
understanding and Christian love”, – the document goes.

The incident took place in Akhalkalaki region on Sunday. Armenian
residents of the village of Samsar prevented group of Tbilisi students
from cleaning of the area at the local monastery, the cultural memorial
of XII century. The students and the local Armenians quarelled after
argument about being the monastery Georgian or Armenian. The quarrel
turned into fight. A student was taken to Tbilisi hospital with
brain concussion. The Georgian students left for Foka and Ninotsminda
monasteries of the same region.