Baku: Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office, has conveyed serious concerns in a letter addressed to Jerry Pillay, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC). The letter, reported by the Azeri-Press News Agency (APA), expresses a desire to welcome Pillay to Azerbaijan and criticizes the Armenian Church's actions, which are seen as leading its followers toward conflict and disaster.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Pashazade's letter recalls a history of cooperation with the WCC, especially highlighting a significant meeting in Montreux in 1993, which aimed at peacefully resolving the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. The meeting emphasized that the conflict was not religious, and recognized the necessity for Christian Armenians and Muslim Azerbaijanis to coexist peacefully. The letter expresses gratitude for the WCC's previous humanitarian aid to Azerbaijan but questions the organization's current stance, which appears influenced by the Armenian side.
The letter criticizes recent statements by the WCC, perceived as biased and lacking objectivity. Pashazade stresses that religious leaders should promote peace and understanding, rather than contribute to conflict. He points out Azerbaijan's commitment to interfaith dialogue and cooperation, inviting WCC representatives to visit and witness the situation firsthand.
Pashazade highlights reports from international observers, including the UN, which confirm no violence against Armenian civilians in Azerbaijan's Karabakh region post-conflict. He emphasizes the transparency Azerbaijan has shown to these missions, countering Armenian narratives of aggression.
Pashazade urges the WCC to maintain impartiality and not be swayed by Armenian church leaders, whom he accuses of exploiting the WCC's name for anti-Azerbaijani propaganda. He warns that such biases damage the WCC's reputation and hinder interreligious dialogue.
The letter also addresses Jerry Pillay's remarks at a conference, clarifying that there is no recognized Armenian entity within Azerbaijan's borders. It criticizes the Armenian Church for contradicting Christian teachings by inciting violence and leading its people toward further calamities.
Pashazade concludes by calling on the WCC to stop supporting the Armenian Church's provocative stance, urging it to be a beacon of truth and peace. He expresses hope for the WCC to prioritize justice and the well-being of all peoples in its future endeavors.