Archbishop Aykazian in Washington shares his impressions on Baku trip

Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Legate of the Eastern Diocese in Washington, took part in the World Summit of Religious Leaders in Baku and shared his impressions with The Armenian Reporter's editor. He said that the most impressive was the city of Baku. "It is very beautiful, very organized, very clean. It reminded me a little bit of Istanbul. When you see the old city, of which I saw very little, you understand that there was a culture and it is not just the petrol money," Aykazian said.

He said that highways are extremely good, particularly the road from the airport to the city is very beautiful and along the road they have built walls with motifs.

"But from what I understand, a lot of work has been done under President Aliyev," Archbishop said.

The conference was also well-organized. I have to say much better than the conference held in Moscow a few years ago, which I also attended," Aykazian said.

"The security was very tight. As we arrived, the road from the airport to the conference venue in Baku was shut down and there were police on every street corner," he said.

"In addition to the summit, we visited the Armenian church of St. Gregory the Illuminator. There was a fire in 1990 there that destroyed the frescoes. The cross is missing and alter has been destroyed, but the premises have been renovated and now well-kept. The building now stores books, including some 6,000 books in Armenian language as we were told. The lady who handles those books is an Azerbaijani from Yerevan and speaks perfect Armenian," Aykazian said.

All participants of the summit felt it was a very historic event. We hope that the summit will diffuse tensions at least a little bit, he said.

"Religious leaders came together because we believe that we can play a very positive role in helping achieve a peaceful solution of the Karabakh conflict. The religious leaders may not have the political power but they can influence those in power," Aykazian said.

"Catholicos is ready for dialogue. The dialogue must be about peace. And we might like each other or not, but we have to start to visit each other again and we have to talk," he said.


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