CAUCASUS MUSLIMS CLERICAL BOARD CALLS ON ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH TO REFRAIN FROM GIVING RELIGIOUS IMPLICATION TO ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN CONFLICT

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
May 1 2008

Azerbaijan, Baku, 1 May / corr. TrendNews S. Agayeva/ The Caucasus
Muslims Clerical Board has condemned the all-Armenian pilgrimage
to Nagorno-Karabakh.

On 1May, the Echmiadzin Cathedral of Armenia organized all-Armenian
pilgrimage to Nagorno-Karabakh, occupied land of Azerbaijan, under
the motto of ‘Let Armenia to Move Forward and Towards to God’. Some
500 pilgrims from Armenia were expected to visit Shusha on 1 May.

The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began
in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since
1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts.

The Caucasus Muslims Clerical Board assesses the organization of such
campaign as a violation of the agreement by the Armenian church to
assist in the settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict and not to
incite religious confrontation among the nations. It is also reflected
in the final document adopted by the World Summit of the Religious
Leader held in Moscow in 2006 where Garegina II, head of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, took part.

The Caucasus Muslims Clerical Board assesses the campaign as an
illegal intervention to Azerbaijani territory and announces that it
violates international law. The Board demands Armenia to think about
the consequences that the giving religious implication to the campaign
may cause, statement of the Board said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress