Azernews.Az

BAKU – Head of the Azerbaijani state body on religious organizations has said the government is "seriously concerned" over the recent establishment of a body in Georgia that will oversee Islamic communities and shrines, a task fulfilled so far by Azerbaijan’s senior clerical body.

The Caucasus Muslims Office (CMO) has expressed concern over the matter, with its chairman, Sheikhulislam Haji Allahshukur Pashazada, saying the Georgian Muslims Office aimed to "turn the Muslims living in the country away from Azerbaijan".

Hidayat Orujov, chairman of the State Committee on Religious Organizations, said Wednesday in a meeting with a senior Georgian cleric and the Georgian ambassador in Baku that unlike the Georgians living in Azerbaijan, 500,000 Azerbaijanis living in the neighboring country are facing dire problems with religion.

"Unfortunately, some of the problems are still there. Moreover, the recent establishment of the Georgian Muslims Office has aggravated Azerbaijanis. This was very unexpected for us and we are seriously concerned," said Orujov.

Orujov also noted that crosses were being placed in Georgia’s villages populated by Azerbaijanis, which has raised their concerns.

He said that he discussed the issue with Georgian Patriarch Ilya II and senior officials during a visit to the neighboring South Caucasus republic in 2009.

"Though there were some pledges to resolve the problem, no substantive steps have been taken so far," Orujov added.