Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia called on the parties to the armed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh to extend the ceasefire regime and use it to move the resolution of the conflict issues into the political direction. The patriarch's statement was published on the website of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) on Tuesday.
"I consider the agreements reached at the level of foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia, mediated by Russia, very important. I appeal to the state leadership of both countries to use the truce in order to transfer the resolution of issues into the political direction. For the sake of the future of the two neighboring nations, I call on them to extend the ceasefire and use it for peace talks," the document says.
He also called on the Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and Chairman of the Caucasian Muslims Department Allahshukur Pasha-Zadeh to continue working with the ROC so that the confrontation does not become inter-religious. "Today, each of us and all of us together must do everything possible to stop the bloodshed. <...> I appeal to all parties to the conflict with a fervent appeal: spare each other's lives, let the chronometer of the bloodshed stop in the name of a peaceful future. Armenia and Azerbaijan have historically been and will be neighbors, Azerbaijanis and Armenians live side by side anyway," Patriarch Kirill added.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed on the ceasefire in the war zone following consultations on Nagorno-Karabakh in Moscow. The parties agreed to cease the fire from 12:00 (11:00 Moscow time) on October 10 for humanitarian purposes to exchange prisoners and the bodies of the dead.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the Russian Orthodox Church
Based on materials from TASS