Azerbaijani religious leader prepared to discuss release of military captives with Armenia

TrendNews: Mr. Sheik-ul-Islam, Israeli president Shimon Peres said in his speech today that Astana can be ground for all who are interested in resolution of the Arab-Israel conflict. How do you assess this proposal?

Allahshukur Pashazade: It is not the first time that Kazakhstan becomes international scene to deal with such conflicts. We know that Kazakhstan has been actively involved in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Your [Kazakh] President Nursultan Nazarbayev enjoys well-deserved respect, especially in the Turkic world. We consider him our elder. He has warm friendship with President Ilham Aliyev. This friendship originates from his father Heydar Aliyev. We would like the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to be discussed here along with the Arab-Israeli conflict. We would be very grateful to your country for this.

Q: Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi of Israel Yona Metzger proposed today at the conference that to permit religious persons of the religion to which the prisoners of war belong in conflict zones and provide information about the prisoners of war to their relatives. What is your view on rabbi's proposal?

A: We support this idea of a Jewish rabbi to provide clergy of various faiths with an access to conflict zone to check prisoners of the same faith. I have discussed the matter with the former head of the Armenian Apostolic Church Patriarch Vazgen and the new patriarch several times. There was even a case when two captives were released from Azerbaijan. But unfortunately, Armenia did not make a response step. If we promise something, we keep it. And would like to see another side to fulfill its promises. I am ready to once again discuss this issue with Armenia.

Q: How do you assess state of tolerance in Azerbaijan? 

A: Azerbaijan is very tolerant country like Kazakhstan. We all live in friendship and harmony. When roof of the church leaks, they call us. We always come to the rescue when something happens in a mosque, we have come to the aid of a synagogue and a church ... You can see Sunnis and Shiites worship together in Azerbaijan and Jews can easily enter into a Muslim mosque. Our nation takes all, in spite of the religious preferences and differences. There is a very large Jewish and Russian diaspora in Azerbaijan. No one oppresses anybody in our country.

/Trend News/