Political interests hinder the sides of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict from reaching agreement, while representatives of faith have advantages in the negotiation process, based on faith in God, common moral values and mutual trust, stated Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia during a meeting with Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh, the leader of the Caucasus Muslims, on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
“If the issue is overcoming a military conflict, then a political factor is present, and when that factor prevails, negotiations become more difficult. Sometimes, from our religious perspective, it seems simply inexplicable to us why people cannot trust one another. They cannot reach agreement because political interests are touched,” said Patriarch Kirill.
According to him, religious leaders have an advantage in discussing such issues because “they have a common foundation — faith in God and a system of moral values, decency and mutual trust, which creates a favourable atmosphere.”
“During these more than 30 years that we have known each other, there has been no incident or topic that has divided us and caused tension. We have always found a solution to the issues we discussed,” said Patriarch Kirill, addressing the leader of the Azerbaijani Muslims.
