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BAKU: Armenian Church 'Main Instigator' Of Karabakh War

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  • BAKU: Armenian Church 'Main Instigator' Of Karabakh War

    ARMENIAN CHURCH 'MAIN INSTIGATOR' OF KARABAKH WAR

    news.az
    Nov 29 2011
    Azerbaijan

    News.Az interviews Fazil Mustafa, MP, leader of the opposition
    Great Creation Party and a member of the delegation to the OSCE
    Parliamentary Assembly.

    The chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Department, Sheikh-ul-Islam
    Allahshukur Pashazade, Armenian Catholicos Garegin II and Russian
    Patriarch Kirill have adopted a declaration following their meeting in
    Yerevan which calls for peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

    How effective can such documents be?

    First and foremost, it needs to be determined whether the statement
    issued by the religious leaders in Yerevan meets the national interests
    of Azerbaijan. I mean that a statement by the religious leader of
    Azerbaijan on a par with the spiritual leader of Armenia cannot be
    considered appropriate for Azerbaijan.

    This is because it cannot be considered appropriate for Azerbaijan
    to sign a document on a par with an aggressor state. I therefore do
    not believe that this document will prove effective in the conflict
    resolution since this approach may not fully reflect the reality and
    interests of Azerbaijan. In other words, the fact that Armenia signs a
    document of this kind without abandoning its aggressive stance should
    not be considered a success for Azerbaijan.

    Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian religious leaders have also announced
    that they can help the leaders of their countries resolve the Karabakh
    conflict. Can the religious leaders help the political leaders adopt
    a decision on resolution of the conflict?

    The religious leaders in the region have varying opportunities to
    influence the political leaders of their countries. Of course, the
    Armenian clergy has a greater capacity to influence the country's
    political leadership, unlike in other countries in the region. The
    situation in this regard is somewhat different in Azerbaijan, where
    there is separation between religion and the political authorities.

    Therefore, one cannot describe religion as a factor able to influence
    political decision-making.

    Do the religious leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia have enough
    authority to urge their societies to reach a compromise to settle
    the conflict?

    Religion and religious leaders have no significant impact on public
    and political life in Azerbaijan, while religion has serious leverage
    both on the authorities and public in Armenia. This is because Armenia
    has a monotheistic concept of religion. This concept is identified
    only by the presence of the Gregorian Church in the country.

    But one should not expect religion to have influence on society in
    Azerbaijan. Given this, the meeting between religious leaders of
    Azerbaijan and Armenia and the documents adopted by them will not
    have an impact on the Karabakh conflict resolution.

    Will Armenian society follow the calls of their religious leader to
    reach peace in the Karabakh conflict? Does the church in Armenia
    have sufficient authority to get the public to follow its calls
    to compromise?

    Of course, the religious leader of Armenia can make these statements.

    In the meantime, I believe that Armenia's religious leader also
    takes into account the presence of the Russian factor in this
    matter. Any Armenian leader who makes such appeals will suffer
    the fate of ex-presidents Demirchyan and Ter-Petrosyan. Anyway, the
    Armenian Church does not seem to be able to come up with similar peace
    initiatives as it is itself is the main instigator of the Karabakh war.

    I wonder whether the Armenian Church has changed its views regarding
    peace in the region over the period that has passed since the active
    phase of the Karabakh war. However, I doubt it has changed.

    At least, the Armenian Church has not so far issued statements proving
    that it advocates peace. Given this, I don't think the Armenian Church
    will make calls for a compromise to achieve peace.

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