Azerbaijan, Baku, 16 April / Trend M. Aliyev /
In today's world people are more concerned with security issues. However, it is impossible to ensure this without regional and international cooperation, President of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev said.
"The security system in the world cannot be created without the participation of society in the process of building a safer world and creative forces", according to Atambayev's welcoming speech read out at the opening of the international scientific and practical conference entitled 'CIS Muslims for peace and sustainable development' held in Baku on Tuesday.
The event is being attended by representatives of religious confessions in Azerbaijan, members of government and parliament, representatives of scientific and cultural intelligentsia and diplomatic missions accredited in Azerbaijan.
According to the President of Kyrgyzstan, Islam has unique capabilities in the post-Soviet era bringing people together based on common values, preaching tolerance and being a religion of peace and harmony.
"However, there are times when politics and the media, not understanding the peace making and civilising nature of Islam, sometimes associate it with terrorism and violence", Atambayev's message says.
According to the president of Kyrgyzstan, it should be noted that there is a small minority of Muslims that misrepresent Islam, commenting on the verses of the Holy Quran outside its historical context without taking into account the traditionally perceived context and calling for violence.
"Only Muslims themselves may deal with such negative phenomena in Islam through religious enlightenment and education", Atambayev said in a letter.
The Kyrgyz president expressed his hope that the scientific conference held in Baku will create a forum for discussion of the pressing problems in the areas of peace and stability and the role of Islam in the process and also thanked the organisers of the event.