Hranush Hakobian: monk has no business to jeopardize Armenian-Georgian relations

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."