Religious leaders seek to contribute to pacification of Karabakh conflict
By Rashid Shirinov
Religious leaders of Azerbaijan and Russia intend to contribute to pacification of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Prior to the trilateral meeting of Russian, Azerbaijani and Armenian religious leaders on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in Moscow, the Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia met with Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade, Trend reported.
The two religious leaders met at the Patriarchal and Synodal residence in the Danilov monastery in Moscow on September 8.
Patriarch Kirill thanked Sheikhulislam for his visit to Moscow and noted his great contribution to the development of dialogue among religions and peoples.
They expressed readiness to continue cooperation in the field of peacekeeping and voiced hope that the upcoming trilateral meeting will contribute to the settlement of the conflict in the South Caucasus.
The trilateral meeting of Russian, Azerbaijani and Armenian religious leaders will be also held today in Moscow.
Azerbaijan and Armenia for over two decades have been locked in conflict, which emerged over Armenian territorial claims to Azerbaijan. Since the 1990s war, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions.
The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal from the occupied lands of Azerbaijan, but they have not been enforced to this day. Peace talks mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. within the OSCE Minsk Group have also produced no results so far.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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