CONFERENCE "AZERBAIJAN EXAMPLE OF TOLERANCE" HELD ON INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR TOLERANCE IN BAKU

Azeri Press Agency
Nov 16 2007
Azerbaijan

Conference "Azerbaijan example of tolerance" was today held on
International Day for Tolerance in Baku, APA reports.

Chief of Caucasian Muslims Office Sheikhulislam Haji Allahshukur
Pashazadeh, chief of State Committee for Religious Affairs Hidayat
Orujov, chief of parliament’s committee for human rights Rabiyat
Aslanova, parliamentarians, representatives of religious confessions
operating in Azerbaijan and others participated in the event.

Hidayat Orujov read Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s appeal to
the participants.

Allahshukur Pashazadeh said that tolerance in Azerbaijan serves as
an example for the whole world.

"This is on the level of the state policy in Azerbaijan. Tradition
of tolerance exists in Azerbaijan for long years. Armenian officials
absurdly claim that Karabakh conflict is connected with religious
factor. This is excited message of Armenia, which understands its
weakness before Azerbaijan’s increasing military power, to the West.

Their religious leaders several times stated in the documents they
signed that Karabakh problem can not be regarded as a religious
conflict," he said.

Sheik touched upon several untraditional religious sects functioning
in Azerbaijan.

"Those who do not respect our durable economic development try to
suggest several negative cases opposing our national traditions,
world-outlook, life condition and commit diversion. Religious
intolerance, challenges to civil confrontation, efforts for collapsing
society and justifying terror, violence contradicts values of our
saint religious completely.

Pashazadeh stated that radical wahhabites, nurchu and other sects
stain Islam with their actions.

"Saboteurs should know that Azerbaijan removes such cases decisively,"
he said.

Following this, representatives of religious confessions addressed
the event and stressed that all the religions and nations live in
Azerbaijan peacefully. Azerbaijani MP Fattah Heydarov said that
Azerbaijan’s tolerance serves as an example for the whole world.

"This is the result of purposeful policy of the head of state,"
he said.

Tolerance is also carried out in our country as state policy at the
same time," he said.