Bishop Alexander: “Armed Forced should be withdrawn from the occupied lands”

[ 02 Jul 2008 16:28 ]

Baku. Lachin Sultanova–APA. Eparchy of Russian Orthodox Church’s last assembly positively valued the activity of Azerbaijani Orthodox Church in Moscow, Caspian and Baku Bishop Alexander said at press conference, APA reports.

He noted that Moscow assembly discussed main subject on union of church. The assembly restored the activity of Church Court and passed a decision on deprivation of priests, who called for separation, from religious ranks. The assembly also covered events on 1020th anniversary of adoption of Christianity in Russia. Asked about roles of religious men in the solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict Alexander noted that several forces tried to keep the conflict under religion as the conflict begun. Meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian religious heads on the initiative of Russian Orthodox Church proved that it was not real. Bishop mentioned that political heads conducted negotiations on the settlement of the conflict and stressed that political heads had meetings by the help of religious men.

"Russian Orthodox Church is interested in restoration of stability in the region. We want peaceful solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict, implementation of adoptions by UN Security Council and General Assembly, withdrawal of Armed Forces from the occupied lands, returning of IDPs to their lands”, he said.

Bishop touched upon the activity of untraditional religions in Azerbaijan and added that he was anxious about it.

“People are involved in false sects by promising money”, he said.

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