Русский | interfax-religion.com | 31 October 2006, 12:14

Orthodox chapel in Far East an obstacle in demarcation of Russian-Chinese border

Moscow, October 31, Interfax— A tiny territory next to the Orthodox Chapel of St. Victor at Great Ussuri Island near Khabarovsk has proved to be a stumbling block in the demarcation of the border.

A joint Russian-Chinese group of experts has completed its locality reconnaissance work there. It has already identified the spots where frontier posts and borderlands will be established, the Gudok newspaper writes on Tuesday.

However, the public relations officer for the FSB Frontier Directorate for Khabarovsk and Jewish Autonomous Region, Igor Zakharov, has stated that the territory adjacent to the church remains the only disputable one.

The Russian proposal to draw the borderline at least a few meters away from the chapel has been rejected by the Chinese side insisting that another plot, a much bigger one, be given to it in exchange.

According to an agreement signed between Russia and China in Beijing two years ago, Tarabarov Island and a half of Great Ussuri Island are to go to China.

The demarcation proper will begin in the island next spring.