Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Nino Kalandadze said on Monday that the situation around the David Gareja Monastery on the border of Azerbaijan is one of the main topics of discussion in Tbilisi. A joint commission for delimitation and demarcation has not started work, Vzglyad reports.
She explained that the monastery section occupied by Azerbaijani border guards has been part of Azerbaijan since Soviet times, but the situation is disputable and needs further talks.
Tbilisi will host protests to protect the monastery on May 20.
Azerbaijan has formed a border post at the monastery, 60 km south-east of Tbilisi. Local monks say that the border guards do not allow some Georgian tourists into the complex. They say that the post was set on May 6.
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said 5 years ago that the monastery should be under Georgian control, while the nearby strategic height should belong to Azerbaijan.
Georgia has not concluded demarcation and delimitation of borders with Armenia and has sections to discuss.
