Trend, Azerbaijan
July 18 2009

Azerbaijani, Armenian, Russian religious leaders to mull
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Azerbaijan, Baku, July 18 /Trend News, A.Huseynbala/

Religious leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia will meet to
discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It is also planned to continue
the tripartite summit of the heads of the Armenian Apostolic and
Russian Orthodox Churches, as well as the head of the Caucasus Muslims
Office Sheikhulislam Haji Allahshukur Pashazadeh in Moscow under
mediation by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill,
theArmenian media writes.

Such an agreement was reached during the meeting between the
Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II with the Patriarch Kirill
during as part of the visit of the head of the Armenian Church to
Moscow.

Catholicos of All Armenians visited Moscow on July 14-16.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding
districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in
1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the
U.S. – are currently holding the peace negotiations.