YEREVAN—In a statement issued Monday, the leaders of the Russian and Armenian churches joined the leader of the Caucasus Muslims in calling for an end to sniper attacks on the Karabakh-Azerbaijan border, ahead of the conference of Inter-Religious Council of the CIS.
“We strongly urge the leaders of the two countries to pull back the snipers from the line of contact to avoid bloodshed at the border and human losses,” said the joint declaration signed by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians and the Leader of Caucasus Muslims Sheikh-Ul-Islam Allahshükür Pashazade.
“The three parties express their commitment to the peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict and declare that a resolution is possible only within the framework of international law. In that regard we support the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group,” added the declaration.
“We attach importance to the regime of non-use of force, which inspires people with optimism regarding the final resolution of the Karabakh issue,” added the declaration.
“If the bloodshed ends, the psychological situation will change, and this will make the resolution of the conflict easier,” said the religious leaders in the declaration.
Speaking athe CIS Inter-Religious Council meeting, President Serzh Sarkisian said that destruction of historic and religious monuments, under the guise of conflict, is unacceptable.
“The conflict is not a religious one, and all attempts to ascribe a religious nature to it are unconstructive. The two great religions – Christianity and Islam – should not be allowed to confront each other. Moreover, we consider that the destruction of historic and religious monuments under the cover of the conflict is unacceptable,” said Sarkisian.
“The CIS Inter-Religious Council is a unique collective force, which symbolizes the power of peaceful co-existence of different religions, their tolerance and reciprocal respect for each other,” added Sarkisian.
“Armenia has made a historic and irreversible decision to develop in the spirit of cooperation with its neighbors, friends and all humanity. We consider that all issues should be resolved through negotiations and cooperation, not threats and increase of tension. We have always been ready to offer our friendship even not being sure we would get a positive response. No doubt, the disappointment after such a serious decision can be despairing,” said Sarkisian.
“You know that the conflict of Nagorno Karabakh is our great pain. The only realistic solution is the negotiation process within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. Armenia will steadily move along that path, since the alternative to it will not benefit neither us, nor the neighboring nation,” explained Sarkisian.
He stressed that negotiation on such a serious and complex issue requires patience and adherence to principles.
The president also welcomed the dialogue between the Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II, and the Leader of Caucasian Muslims Allahshükür Pashazade, which is mediated by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
The Muslim leader also echoed Sarkisian’s sentiments, saying that “the dialogue should continue, although the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group have not produced results.”
“The efforts toward the peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict should continue both on regional and international levels. We fully support the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and the Presidents of our countries in that direction,” said Pashazade.
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia also voiced confidence that the meeting of the religious leaders will reinforce friendly ties between members of the Inter-Religious Council.
It’s quite good that the Sheikh-Ul-Islam Allahshükür Pashazad has joined this inter-religious meeting.
We welcome his peaceful statements, and look forward of peaceful resolution of NKR conflict.
Anti-Armenianism and anti-Azerianism won’t help the two side built faith in each other, and any bad propagande should be ceased.
Pongo, you should give some advice to Ilham Aliyev on that matter. So far all of the war rhetoric and saber rattling has come from the Azeri side. Naturally, it is normal for Armenians to react to threats and violations on the line of contact. For every Armenian soldier attacked on the line of contact, we will attack 10 Azeri soldiers. Respect the line of contact, Arstakh (formerly known as Nagorno-Karabagh) is now a sovereign Armenian state as it was thousands of years ago and as it should have stayed before Stalin gifted it to Azeri Turks.
Faith in each other ?
So called Christianity and Islam has nothing in common.
Nothing !!!.
Arn.Sweden.
According to Wikileaks, Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pašazade, also known in Azerbaijan as Sheitanshukur, is a former KGB Colonel (their Dear Leader Heydar Ali Rza ogly Aliyev was a KGB General) whose hands are covered with blood of innocent Armenians killed by Azeri Turks during the Baku pogroms in 1990. He also controls in Azerbaijan such “industries” as metal imports, prostitution and drug trafficking. In Russia he owns a chain of bookstores that sell Jihadist literature.