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Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian clerical leaders on Monday signed a statement in conclusion of their meeting in Baku that focused on ways of settling the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh.
The Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Kirill said the trilateral meeting was very successful. "In my view, this was the right and contemporary initiative for a trilateral meeting, which took place and concluded with the successful signing of a declaration," Patriarch Kirill told reporters.
According to him, clerical leaders do not wield political power and cannot "move troops in one direction or another", but they have a unique opportunity to capitalize on the values embraced by believers. "And the fact that representatives of different creeds have met and agreed upon many important things is an important signal to all pious people."
The patriarch expressed hope that those signals would promote reconciliation, defused tension in the region and create a solid basis for political leaders, who, having assumed the entire brunt of responsibility for a negotiated settlement of the Upper Garabagh conflict, would achieve a negotiated solution.
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but Armenia continues to occupy Upper Garabagh and seven other Azerbaijani districts in defiance of international law. Peace talks have been largely fruitless so far but are still ongoing. Mediators from Russia, France and the United States are brokering the peace process through the OSCE Minsk Group.
Azerbaijan’s top cleric, the Caucasus Muslims Office chairman, Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazada, Armenian Catholicos Garegin II and Russian Patriarch Kirill held their meeting on the sidelines of the two-day summit of world religious leaders, which started in the Azerbaijani capital on Monday.
In the declaration, co-signed by the clerics, they voiced confidence that their joint efforts would facilitate overcoming inter-ethnic hostility. "Though our peacemaking efforts, we will nurture people’s hope for eliminating enmity, because war, if it persists, will never end," the joint declaration says.
The three clerical leaders also voiced their support for international efforts aimed at Garabagh settlement and stressed the need to step up communication among those involved to promote confidence-building and thus achieve peace and good neighborliness relations.
"Supporting efforts of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents, we intend to assist in their aspirations and, in this connection, we deem it important to continue holding dialog between clerical leaders, with an aim to facilitate a conflict settlement."
The declaration emphasizes, however, that the road to peace will be challenging. "This requires a lot of effort and a powerful will. But our hopes for success are very strong."
The Baku summit, which brings together nearly 250 delegates from 35 countries, was attended by President Ilham Aliyev.
The event was organized by the CIS Inter-Religious Council, the largest organization in the post-Soviet countries dealing with relations among people of different religious traditions.
The summit features discussions on a wide range of issues, including ways of giving an impetus to interfaith dialogue, establishing world peace, eliminating existing threats such as terrorism and extremism, as well as the world economic crisis.
Participants are expected to adopt an official document outlining priorities to ensure spiritual development of world religions and mankind.
President Aliyev said in his remarks at the summit’s opening ceremony: "It is not accidental that this meeting is being held in Baku. Meetings of world religious leaders in Baku have already become regular. For centuries, various nations and representatives of religions have lived in Azerbaijan in a fraternal and brotherly atmosphere, as one family."
"I have no doubt that this meeting will bring good results and help to reach better concordance among religions, nations and countries. I want to reiterate: we are hopeful Baku will grow into a kind of a center for inter-religious dialogue."
"Azerbaijan is a natural bridge between Europe and Asia," Aliyev underscored. "I hope a day will come when Baku will be selected the capital of European culture. Thus, Azerbaijan will make a greater contribution to the development of relations between the Christian and Muslim worlds."
"Azerbaijan ensures all freedoms, including religious ones. Over a thousand mosques are daily functioning in Azerbaijan. Eleven churches, six synagogues and other shrines are operating here. It makes us stronger."
Protest
Women members of the hard-line Garabagh Liberation Organization (GLO) protested at Garegin II’s visit to Baku outside the Gulustan Palace where the clerics’ summit was held.
Holding photos of the women and children slain during the Khojaly massacre committed by Armenians against Azerbaijanis in 1992, the protesters chanted slogans "the Armenian Catholicos is a criminal", "the Armenian Catholicos’ hands are soaked in Azerbaijani women and children’s blood", "Down with Armenian criminals", and "Mothers protest". The protesters attempted to meet with the Armenian cleric and voice their outrage, but they were blocked by security officers.
Approaching Ali Hasanov, the head of the Presidential Administration socio-political department, who was leaving the summit, the pickets said inviting Garegin II to Azerbaijan was unacceptable.
The police then prompted the protesters to leave the area.
Catholicos Garegin II and Patriarch Kirill visited the Armenian church in Baku on Monday. The police surrounded the area for safety considerations.*