Appropriation of other's monuments, history and language is the fate of politically underdeveloped nations

PanARMENIAN.Net - "A dozen of historically important Georgian monasteries and churches are situated in the north of Armenia, in Lore-Tashir. Unfortunately, they have been utterly robbed, which proves that they belong to the Georgian Orthodox Church," declared Giorgi Andriadze. In his words, the Georgian Patriarchate deliberately kept away from raising the issue in order to avoid tensions and maintain the status quo. "However, the Armenian side tries to aggravate the situation and unfairly demands the return of churches. And since Armenians continue with their provocations, we can do nothing but remind them about our legal rights to demand the return of Georgian churches situated in the territory of Armenia," Andriadze said. He also assumed that all this story of clarifying the church belonging is a provocation by a third side, which aims to breed hostility between the two nations.

On the whole, appropriation of other's monuments, history and language is the fate of politically underdeveloped nations, which in the course of their existence prove utterly unable to create national values. These nations are incapable of forming their own government; they can't even preserve what really belongs to them. To our great regret, Georgia is one of these nations. Still back in 90s American Political Scientist Nikolay Zlobin declared Georgia to belong to the category of defective states that have no future. This definition is quite right, and it can hardly undergo changes. The history of the past 20 years proves the extreme subjection of any president of this country. Georgian leadership is consistent in one matter only - through Georgian Orthodox Church (GOC) it appropriates Armenian churches and demolishes Armenian monuments and tombs. And it would not be that unreasonable if these acts of vandalism were not accompanied by statements of Georgia's belonging to the European civilization. Moreover, Georgians quite seriously speak of their being one of the founders of the European civilization.

On the whole it is all the same to Armenia what her neighbours call themselves. What is important for us is that these carriers of «civilization» keep away from Armenian churches. But in this matter Europe gives way to Asia. It is not any more a secret that after George Bush Turkey and Azerbaijan serve as models for Mikhail Saakashvili, especially in the Armenian issue. The latest example is the case of Norashen.

According to the Head of the GOC Press Service David Sharashenidze, the belonging of the Church of St. Norashen situated in Tbilisi will be established based on the conclusions of Georgian and Armenian experts. "Armenian sources say that this monument belongs to the Armenian Church. But there are also some other sources, including Georgian ones, which call this claim into question. It is a matter of expert-scientists' consideration," declared Sharashenidze. Thus, it is rather like the case with Turkey's recognition of the Genocide - forming a commission, making some facts more accurate, clarifying, etc. However, we should admit that Ilham Aliyev acts more directly; he simply destroys Armenian monuments preserved in Azerbaijan. And since there are no monuments, there is no need to form different kinds of commissions. The thing is that there is always a possibility that an honest historian will turn up and tell the whole truth. Thus, Turkey and Georgia should consider it well before they suggest forming a commission.

And lastly, about 650 Armenian churches are presently counted in the territory of Georgia. In the 19th century there used to be 29 Armenian churches in Tbilisi but only two of them stand there today. To this day in the territory of Georgia there are 6 Armenian churches whose belonging is still unidentified. They were all confiscated at the Soviet times. They are St. Norashen (XVc.), St. Nshan (XVIIIc.), Shamkhoretsots St. Astvatsatsin (second name Karmir Avetaran, XVIIIc.), Yerevantsots St. Minas (XVIII c.), St. Gevorg of Mughni (XIV c.), and St. Nshan (XIX c.) situated in Akhaltskha. Unfortunately, it is clear from past experience that there is very little these churches will be returned to the Armenian Apostolic Church.