AZERBAIJANI RELIGIOUS LEADER PREPARED TO DISCUSS RELEASE OF MILITARY CAPTIVES WITH ARMENIA

Trend
01.07.09 16:07

Astana can be ground for dialogue not only for resolution of the
Arab-Israel conflict, but also Nagorno-Karabakh problem, Chairman
of the Caucasus Muslims Clerical Office Sheik-ul-Islam Allahshukur
Pashazade said in his interview with Trend News correspondent in
Astana.

TrendNews: Mr. Sheik-ul-Islam, Israeli president Shimon Peres said in
his speech today that Astana can be ground for all who are interested
in resolution of the Arab-Israel conflict. How do you assess this
proposal?

Allahshukur Pashazade: It is not the first time that Kazakhstan
becomes international scene to deal with such conflicts. We
know that Kazakhstan has been actively involved in resolving the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Your [Kazakh] President Nursultan Nazarbayev
enjoys well-deserved respect, especially in the Turkic world. We
consider him our elder. He has warm friendship with President Ilham
Aliyev. This friendship originates from his father Heydar Aliyev. We
would like the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to be discussed here along
with the Arab-Israeli conflict. We would be very grateful to your
country for this.

Q: Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi of Israel Yona Metzger proposed today at the
conference that to permit religious persons of the religion to which
the prisoners of war belong in conflict zones and provide information
about the prisoners of war to their relatives. What is your view on
rabbi’s proposal?

A: We support this idea of a Jewish rabbi to provide clergy of
various faiths with an access to conflict zone to check prisoners of
the same faith. I have discussed the matter with the former head of
the Armenian Apostolic Church Patriarch Vazgen and the new patriarch
several times. There was even a case when two captives were released
from Azerbaijan. But unfortunately, Armenia did not make a response
step. If we promise something, we keep it. And would like to see
another side to fulfill its promises. I am ready to once again discuss
this issue with Armenia.

Q: How do you assess state of tolerance in Azerbaijan?

A: Azerbaijan is very tolerant country like Kazakhstan. We all live in
friendship and harmony. When roof of the church leaks, they call us. We
always come to the rescue when something happens in a mosque, we have
come to the aid of a synagogue and a church … You can see Sunnis
and Shiites worship together in Azerbaijan and Jews can easily enter
into a Muslim mosque. Our nation takes all, in spite of the religious
preferences and differences. There is a very large Jewish and Russian
diaspora in Azerbaijan. No one oppresses anybody in our country.