HRANUSH HAKOBIAN: MONK HAS NO BUSINESS TO JEOPARDIZE ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN RELATIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.12.2008 13:25 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian state structures should interfere to decide
the fate of Armenian churches in Georgia. This is a common case,
the RA Minister of Diaspora Affairs said.

"We should understand that the Armenian-Georgian friendly relations are
very important for us. We do understand that this problem can damage
our relations. But all should remember that a monk has no business
to jeopardize them," Hranush Hakobian told a news conference today.

Condemning acts of vandalism, she emphasized that Armenia should to
protest encroachment on the Armenian cultural heritage and interact
with international structures dealing with the problem.

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

This barbarian act outraged Armenians, who demanded to let the graves
in their place. However, Father Tariel responded with harsh statements.

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."