Azerbaijan and Georgia can solve the dispute over territories during demarcation of the border, said expert on Caucasian studies Mamuka Areshidze.

He does not rule out the possibility that the Georgian government may cede Erisimedi village in exchange for David Gareja complex, RBK reported.

According to him, Georgia faces the same problem with Marneuli region southern part of which is bordering with Armenia. “Sometimes cattle disappear in this region. In 2009 some people were arrested,” he said.

As NEWS.am reported earlier, the Azerbaijani side has recently rejected Tbilisi’s proposal to exchange other territory for David Gareja monastery complex.

According to Kakheti news centre, the Georgian side offered Azerbaijan to shift the border to the south of Udabno cave, but the Azerbaijani side refused to do so.

The ancient Georgian cultural and religious monastery is contentious and the Georgian-Azerbaijani border needs to be clarified. The monastery is divided between the two countries. Georgia proposed Azerbaijan to exchange other territory for the remainder of David Gareja because of its historical and cultural significance to Georgians. Baku disapproves of this land swap because of David Gareja’s strategic military importance.

Today, the monastery is on the territory of Azerbaijan.