HIEROMONK PHILLIP’S STATEMENT NOT REFLECTING RUSSIA’S ORTHODOX CHURCH POSITION

news.az
Jan 14 2010
Azerbaijan

Ilgar Ibrahimoghlu News.Az interviews Ilgar Ibrahimoghlu, chief of the
Center of Protection of Religion and Freedom of Conscience (DEVAMM).

What do you think about the statement of hieromonk Phillip (Ryabikh),
chief of department of external church ties of the Moscow Patriarchate,
that there are three temples of the Moscow Patriarchate in Armenia
including one in Yerevan, the second at Russian military base in
Gumri and the third in Nagorno Karabakh?

Such statements occur when people voicing them are merely incompetent
in the issues they are speaking about or in case they fulfill any
lobbyist mission. I do not think that celibate priest’s statement
which presents Nagorno Karabakh, an integral part of Azerbaijan, as an
Armenian land, reflects the position of the Russian Orthodox Church
and the Moscow Patriarchate in this issue. I think in the nearest
future we will hear the confirmation of my words as a statement from
the side of the Moscow Patriarchate. Anyway, Azerbaijan should react
to this statement and voice its regret about this issue.

What do you expect from the visit of Patriarch of Moscow and All
Russians Cyril to Armenia scheduled for March?

These visits occur throughout the world. The March visit of the
Patriarch of Moscow and All-Russians Cyril to Armenia should be viewed
in terms of the policy of the Russian Orthodox Church that strives
to have good relations in all countries not only in our region but
also throughout the world. Naturally, this visit cannot be bound to
the resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

In other words, you do not think that during the visit of the Russian
Patriarch to Armenia, the sides will discuss the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict…

I do not see reasons why the Karabakh conflict can be a subject of
discussions during the visit of the Russian Patriarch to Armenia.

How do you assess prospects of the just resolution of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh in the nearest
perspective?

My personal opinion in this issue is that I do not see any grounds to
state that Armenia is ready to release the occupied Azerbaijani lands
in Nagorno Karabakh and around it. Certainly, there is a theoretical
possibility of such actions by Armenians but excessive optimism in
this issue is untimely.