There is no cause for conflict between Georgians and Ossetians, Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church Ilia II said while visiting the South Ossetian conflict zone on April 10.

The Georgian Patriarch gave his blessing for the construction of a new Orthodox Church in the Georgian village of Tamarasheni in the South Ossetian conflict zone and met with Tbilisi-loyal, self-styled South Ossetian leader Dimitri Sanakoev.

“We were brothers and will remain so. Our force is in the unity of both Ossetians and Georgians,” the patriarch said.

The de facto South Ossetian authorities have already protested the patriarch’s visit to the conflict zone.