Clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan can be stopped based on religion, mufti Ismail Berdiev, Chairman of the North Caucasus Muslim coordination center (NCMCC), told RIA Novosti.
"The most important thing is that a person should understand why God created them. If he understands this, there will be no conflicts. The logic of war contradicts Islam," Berdiev said.
According to him, the Caucasus has its own customs, so not all the experience of conflict resolution is applicable in this region. "We had the Ossetian-Ingush conflict, the war. And then people came who stopped all this on the basis of religion," the mufti said.
He added that it is necessary to "negotiate and find solutions", "both sides of the conflict must understand that military actions do not lead to anything good."
In turn, the head of the Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Russia, mufti Albir Krganov noted that from the point of view of Islam, war is possible for defensive purposes, but just like that "the Lord did not give anyone the right to kill people."
"When your country is attacked by another country, you can defend yourself. But in the case of disputed territories, the issue of borders – and there are many such conflicts in the world – when each side claims that it was attacked, it is necessary to sit down at the negotiating table, understand and resolve the issue in a civilized manner, possibly with the mediation of other countries. Let scientists, historians – people who professionally study the topic of territories and borders - have their say," the mufti suggested.
He noted that the Assembly is watching the events in Nagorno-Karabakh with concern and calls on the parties to the conflict to "stop military actions, return to the implementation of previous agreements and sit down at the negotiating table." The mufti also recalled that earlier the Russian Orthodox Church initiated meetings of religious figures of Azerbaijan and Armenia and this "calmed the situation". "I have no doubt that even today religious figures can express their opinion," he summed up.
On September 27, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said that the Armenian armed forces fired at settlements on the contact line in Karabakh, according to these data, there were civilian and military deaths. According to the Armenian Defense Ministry, Karabakh "was subjected to air and missile attacks." Yerevan stated that Baku "launched an offensive" in the Karabakh direction. The unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic reported that peaceful settlements in Karabakh, including the capital Stepanakert, were shelled, the authorities called on the population to take shelter, and later declared martial law and mobilization in Karabakh. Armenia also declared martial law and general mobilization.
The President of Azerbaijan approved the introduction of martial law in a number of cities and regions of the Republic and a curfew in the country, as well as announced partial mobilization. A number of states, including Russia and France, called on the parties to exercise restraint. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a telephone conversation on Sunday, during which they noted that it was important to make every effort to prevent an escalation in Karabakh.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of President of Russia Federation