SHEIKH-UL-ISLAM HAJI ALLAHSHUKUR PASHAZADEH MEETS WITH THE HEAD OF THE LOS ANGELES TOLERANCE CENTER

Azeri Press Agency
July 22 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Elbrus Seyfullayev -APA. Chairman of the Caucasian Muslims
Office Sheikh-ul-Islam Haji Allahshukur Pashazadeh has welcomed the
head of the Los-Angeles Tolerance Center Rabbi Abraham Cooper at his
residence in Baku, APA reports.

Chairman of the Caucasian Muslims Office said tolerance in Azerbaijan
was at the highest level. "Religious tolerance is at the highest level
in Azerbaijan, representatives of different religious confessions are
free to live together and to pray. All religious meeting-houses have
an opportunity for free functioning, synagogues, churches and temples
are constructed in the country and representatives of various faiths
are praying there. Azerbaijan can be a real example of tolerance
in the world". Sheikh-ul-Islam Haji Allahshukur Pashazadeh said new
synagogue would be constructed for the highland Jewish community and
promised his support for its construction. Haji Allahshukur Pashazadeh
said large Armenian community lived in Los Angeles, which actively
worked against Azerbaijan. "Armenians living in Los Angeles may have
misleading information about Azerbaijan. It needs to explain them
truth. Therefore I am ready to meet with Armenian religious figures.

I can meet them even at church to explain them realities". Heads of
various religious confessions gave examples of high-level religious
tolerance in Azerbaijan. Rabbi Abraham Cooper thanked for sincere
welcoming and said he was pleased to see free coexistence of different
religious communities in the country. Then the sides presented gifts
to each other.