Azerbaijan MFA Responds To Georgian Patriarchate Statement On Kurmukh Temple

In a statement issued on September 25, the Ministry of Azerbaijan said it was unacceptable to refer to geographical and historical toponyms located in Azerbaijan by other names.

“Azerbaijan has always respected the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia. At the same time, the Georgian side's demonstration of the same respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan constitutes an important foundation of the strategic partnership relations established between the two countries,” the ministry said.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said the approach of the Georgian Patriarchate, which it described as involving territorial claims concerning Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty, was“incomprehensible.”

The ministry also stressed the importance of religious institutions refraining from approaches that could undermine the historical ties of friendship and good-neighborly relations that have developed between the peoples of Azerbaijan and Georgia over the centuries.

“In this regard, repetition of the known approaches of the Armenian Church or following its path is not recommended,” the statement said.

The ministry added that all historical, cultural and religious monuments located in Azerbaijan constitute an integral part of the national heritage of the Azerbaijani people and the Azerbaijani state.

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