Georgian political analysts rule out mass protests on Azerbaijan border

In the near future, no new wave of disputes around the "David Gareja" Monastery Complex located on the Azerbaijani-Georgian border is expected. The call of Elias-II, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, to give up mass protests has contributed to a decline of protesters' emotions.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the road construction near the "David Gareja" Complex exacerbated tensions on the border. Azerbaijan announced a motor rally in the territory of the complex, while Georgian activists announced a response action. On May 28, several hundred residents of Georgia organized a march and demanded open negotiations on the issues of the border with Azerbaijan crossing the territory of the complex.

Mamuka Areshidze, an expert on the Caucasus, is sure that Georgia and Azerbaijan will reach an agreement on the "David Gareja" Complex, since the partnership relations of the two countries are of strategic importance. Besides, during the years of independence, Georgia and Azerbaijan "have fought a lot", and none of them will be happy with the tension on the border.

Mr Areshidze has noted that some protest organizers at the border are backed by oppositional political forces interested in provocations.

The May 28 action on the border was not numerous; one of the reasons being the above call of Elias-II, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Vakhtang Maisaya, a political analyst, believes.

Amid the aggravation of conflict over the "David Gareja", the Georgian authorities came under pressure of certain political forces, said Kakha Gogolashvili, an expert from the Institute for Strategic and International Studies.