Historians explain contradictions between Baku and Tbilisi on border at "David Gareja"

At the beginning of the activities on determining the Georgian-Azerbaijani border, Georgia proposed to use the map of 1938, and Azerbaijan the official maps of the republics compiled in the 1960s. According to the first map, the monasteries of Udabno and Chichkhituri are on the Georgian territory, while according to the second option, they are on the Azerbaijani side.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the Georgian-Azerbaijani border dispute escalated in April, when Azerbaijani border guards blocked the road to the Udabno monastery. In May, protests in Georgia led to the construction of a road on a disputed land plot.

On maps of different periods, the border is indicated in different ways, notes Vladimir Mirianashvili, a Georgian historian.

"Azerbaijan proposed to use the later maps compiled in the 1950-1960s, although there was no such a need," the historian stated.

According to Eldar Namazov, the former assistant to the president of Azerbaijan, in the mid-1990s, Azerbaijan opened the monastery complex for visits from both sides and did not interfere with the activities of Georgian religious figures and visits of tourists.

Departmental maps cannot be the basis for determining the state border, believes historian Dilaver Azimli.

"The borders changed many times throughout the history. The current border took shape after the establishment of the Soviet power in Azerbaijan and Georgia in 1920-21," Dilaver Azimli said.