MOMENT OF TRUTH

- Today many foreign experts, politicians and religious figures talk of the high level of religious tolerance in Azerbaijan. Do you believe that the Azerbaijani model of religious tolerance can be applied as a model for other countries?

- Azerbaijan is a very open and tolerant country. We recently held an event of our community in Baku. The ceremony was held in the church of the Holy Virgin Mary in the very heart of Baku in complete safety. After this ceremony I was convinced even more that religious freedoms exist in Azerbaijan and each community can freely exercise its religious rites. Thus Azerbaijan is sending the world the message that it is possible to live in conditions of religious harmony, tolerance and pluralism.

- If you remember, in May 2002, the head of the Vatican Pope John Paul II first visited Azerbaijan on an official visit. Later on, President Ilham Aliyev visited the Vatican. How do mutual high-level visits influence the dialogue between our cultures?

- Relations between Azerbaijan and the Vatican are quite friendly. Quite recently, Azerbaijan offered financial assistance for the restoration of the Roman catacombs. The mausoleum restored with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation was built in honour of Empress Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine. These works are of great historical value. This charity is in itself a contribution to the dialogue between religions and cultures.

- In your opinion, does politics have a greater influence on religion in today's world or is it the other way around?

- I can only say that religion is the force that must serve to encourage peace and justice. It takes as its basis the supremacy of humans and preaches life in harmony. From this point of view, religion is a socially useful phenomenon.

- Today acts of terror are perpetrated under the guise of religion. This process takes an endless nature. For example, the actions of ISIS in Iraq…

- I follow these events with alarm. The international community must apply more efforts to prevent the crisis caused by the actions of ISIS. It is no secret for anybody that the international law mechanisms do not function now. People are persecuted, abused and killed on the basis of religious beliefs. We become the witnesses of the growth of intolerance of the people against each other. The time has come for us to find effective ways out of this situation, to spread the principles of brotherhood between the people. Addressing those who commit brutalities under the guise of religion, I state: you have no right to go against the fundamental religious values, you cannot kill in the name of God. You must preach peace, justice and harmony. The Azerbaijani tolerance is a message to Iraq that it is not that difficult to live in conditions of religious peace and tolerance.

- The world knows many facts proving that Armenia continuing to destroy memorials of Muslim culture and Armenize Alban churches on the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Why is it that the Vatican and other religious powers in the world do not support Azerbaijan in its efforts to prevent this vandalism from occurring?

- Religious monuments must be preserved for the future. They serve not only the religion, but the entire humankind. Any form of their destruction is unacceptable.