Patriarch of All Russia Calls on Azerbaijanis, Armenians for Dialogue

Moscow / 24.07.20 / Turan: On July 23, 2020, the Patriarch of All Russia Kirill issued a statement calling on Armenians and Azerbaijanis to dialogue.

“For the 33rd year the conflict of peoples who have lived side by side for many centuries has lasted. Since 1989, I have been constantly involved in the work to resolve this conflict peacefully. I perceive every aggravation of it as a personal pain.

“Today the Russian Orthodox Church calls on both sides of the conflict to dialogue. The religious communities of Armenia and Azerbaijan have accumulated experience in building such a dialogue, which is now in great demand.

I urge you not to follow the lead of those forces that benefit from increased tension in the Caucasus. A new war in the Caucasus will inevitably attract all sorts of terrorists and extremists, who will deprive the region of peace and tranquility for a long time.

The long-term peacekeeping activity of the Russian Orthodox Church in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict in trilateral dialogues allows me to appeal to the religious leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia. I ask you, dear brothers, to preserve the achievements that we have managed to consolidate during fraternal meetings.

The Russian Orthodox Church fervently prays that the conflict will end as soon as possible. We hope that the fraternal peoples of Armenia and Azerbaijan will find the strength and wisdom to stop hostility, reduce the degree of mistrust and reach mutually acceptable solutions to the dividing problems,” the statement says. -02D-