ILYA II:

The 74-year-old patriarch of all Georgia, Catholicos Ilya II, has headed the clergy of Georgian Christians for 29 years. There is a word about people like him - an experienced man. It is always interesting to find out what they think about life and events going on around. The opinion of Irakli Giorgiyevich Gudushauri is also interesting because he is a religious leader in a region where people of various faiths are living and where there are still unresolved territorial conflicts that also make the region vulnerable in terms of relations between religions. The patriarch of all Georgia kindly agreed to share his vision of the current realities with R+ on his birthday.

- Mr Catholicos, allow us to congratulate you on your birthday and the 29th anniversary of your rise to the post of patriarch of all Georgia. How do you assess the current level of mutual relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia?

- Thank you for your congratulations. I welcome your magazine and the entire fraternal people of Azerbaijan. I have to say that the fraternal and friendly relations that exist between Georgia and Azerbaijan are a very important factor for peace and welfare in the South Caucasus. I want to express my deep respect for the president of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, and for the entire leadership of your country. I also want to welcome my friend Sheikh Allahshukur Pashazade who has been my friend for many years.

- How well do the ideas of friendship and partnership combine between our countries?

- I also want to thank my Azerbaijani friends. There was a time when they sent us a propane bottle. Now we are receiving gas from Azerbaijan by a pipeline. Our Georgian people highly value this. I want to wish happiness to the Azerbaijani people and prosperity to your country. This will promote peace in the whole of the Caucasus. I want to express my confidence that the conflicts in the Caucasus will soon be resolved. The territorial integrity of our countries will be restored and solved positively.

- In the past, David the Builder visited Tbilisi mosques every Thursday and listened to Muslim prayers. Every person must respect other religions regardless of his faith. What is the attitude of modern religious figures to this?

- I want to say that relations between the Georgian Orthodox Church and the Muslim world have been very good throughout history. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and other leaders of our state deeply respect the Islamic religion and people who profess it. So there are very good relations between our faiths.

- In order to make a contribution to the cause of settling the conflicts in the South Caucasus, you and your counterparts from Azerbaijan and Armenia have met in Moscow with the bishop of all Russia, Aleksiy II. The media reported that the next meeting will take place in Tbilisi.

- Of course, such a meeting is desirable. But I am not sure whether it will take place or not. At least we want this meeting to take place. The Caucasus is in such an uncertain situation now that there are too many unsolved issues and no peace and calm. I think our religions should promote the settlement of these conflicts in the South Caucasus.

- Thanks to you and to the policy of the Georgian leadership, local Azerbaijanis are building mosques here. Are there any obstacles or problems in this issue? What sort of relations do you have with the Muslim clergy of Georgia?

- I think that there have not been and there will not be obstacles or problems in the construction of mosques in Georgia. We hope that in Azerbaijan there will be no problems for the construction of Georgian churches either. As for our relations with the Muslim clergy, I should say that we have very good and close relations. In our country, the head of the Muslim clergy is a young and talented person. He often visits us. We talk and discuss to solve necessary issues. I repeat - we have very good relations.

- How many mosques are there in Georgia?

- As far as I know - 230. I think that there must be 230 Orthodox Georgian temples as well. At least, they are in places where they are needed.

- What can the patriarch of all Georgia say about the current level of the dialogue between religions in our region?

- Well, first of all, I have repeatedly visited Azerbaijan. We have repeatedly expressed our friendship between the Christian and Muslim worlds. I have also visited Iran and met Ayatollah Khamene'i and the then president of Iran. I think that there are favourable conditions for meetings and negotiations.

- Thank you for the interview.

- Thank you too for coming to congratulate me. Convey my best wishes to the whole people of Azerbaijan, to the editorial staff of your magazine, to the leadership of the republic and personally to the president of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev.