Azernews.Az

By Trend

The development of Azerbaijan-Vatican relations is a geopolitical phenomenon for the beginning of the 21st century, which has no analogues, editor-in-chief of Baki Xeber newspaper, expert Aydin Guliyev told Trend on Oct. 5.

“The 21st century began with interfaith, interethnic and intercultural conflicts worldwide,” he added.

"During this period Azerbaijan began to more consistently carry out conceptual universal policy which became exemplary for the whole world,” he said. “The foundations of state policy facilitating the full manifestation of all the creative power of interethnic and interreligious solidarity within the country were created and implemented."

“For the whole world today Azerbaijan has become one of the rare exporters of tolerance and multicultural values,” Guliyev added. "This factor is as valuable as Azerbaijan’s exports of oil and gas."

The expert said that the visits of the Pope of Rome to Baku, the contribution of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation to the improvement in the Vatican, as well as the fact that the Vatican attaches particular importance to political and diplomatic ties with Azerbaijan testify to that.

“There is no other Muslim country in the world, which has made such a contribution to the Muslim-Christian understanding, as Azerbaijan,” he said. “For the world shrouded in conflicts, deeper cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Vatican has historical and universal significance. Such a policy of Azerbaijan has played a decisive role in smashing Armenia’s strategy demonstrating ​​the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as a Christian-Muslim confrontation.”

Guliyev also said that the Azerbaijan-Vatican relations are of strategic importance not only from the point of view of the interests of the two countries, but also for the whole world.