GEORGIAN POLICY AGAINST ARMENIAN CHURCHES GROWS MORE AGGRESSIVE

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.11.2008 17:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The latest incident in St. Norashen Church in
Tbilisi is the continuation of Georgian policy of demolition of
Armenian churches, an Armenian expert said.

"If preventive measures are not taken, we will lose out cultural
heritage in Georgia soon," Haykaz Alvrtsyan told a news conference
today. "Unfortunately, neither the Armenian government nor Holy
Echmiadzin developed a precise position on the issue," he said.

"We just react to what is happening but we have to understand that
the Armenian community can’t solve the problem without assistance
of the Armenian authorities. We must assume a tough position, not
fearing of consequences," Alvrtsyan said.

On November 16, Georgian monk Tariel Sikinchelashvili instructed
workers to raze to the ground the graves of Mikhail and Lidia
Tamamshev.

This barbarian act outraged Armenians, who demanded to let the graves
in their place. However, Father Tariel gave a harsh response.

Upon arrival of representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church and
parliament member Van Bayburt, the Georgian monk said he just wanted
to replace the gravestones to "clean under them."