Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said there are no tensions between Georgia and Azerbaijan and that all issues between the two governments are discussed in a friendly manner. He was responding to questions about Azerbaijan’s reaction to the Georgian Orthodox Church Patriarchate’s statement concerning the Kurmukh Church.
“We have no tensions. We have friendly relations with the Azerbaijan government. Based on this friendship, we can discuss all issues very easily. All topics between the governments of Georgia and Azerbaijan are discussed in this friendly manner,” Kobakhidze said.
On September 26, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry strongly responded to the Patriarchate’s concerns over work at St. George’s Kurmukh Church, saying the statement contained “territorial claims” against Azerbaijan. Baku refers to the site as “Kurmukh” and considers it part of what it describes as Albanian cultural heritage.
The Patriarchate said on September 24 that the work had not been agreed with the Georgian side and called for the involvement of relevant authorities. Kobakhidze’s comments came after a phone call with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, during which the two leaders discussed “good-neighborly relations.” It remains unclear whether the Kurmukh issue was discussed.
