Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend S.Agayeva / Addressing the participants of the international conference which commenced in Baku on 3 April "Heydar Aliyev or religious policy in Azerbaijan: realities and prospects" the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev stated that "The religious policy of Azerbaijan is based upon the democratic State establishment policy of Heydar Aliyev, which has used the national religious values of the Azeri people,". The appeal says that all conditions have been created in Azerbaijan for the peaceful existence of various religions.
The Chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations of Azerbaijan, Hidayat Orujov, said in the opening of the conference that Azerbaijan may become a good example of religious tolerance worldwide. Historically Azerbaijan has been a junction of various religions and cultures. He highly assessed Heydar Aliyev's role in ensuring the rights of the representatives of various religious communities residing in Azerbaijan.
The Religious Leader of Caucasus Muslims, Sheikh Ul Islam Haji Allahshukur Pashazade said in his speech that the tolerance in Azerbaijan has deep roots and is one of the key peculiarities of the mentality of the Azeri people. He highlighted Heydar Aliyev's special role in maintaining and strengthening religious stability in Azerbaijan. According to Pashazade, the churches and synagogues peacefully exist in Azerbaijan together with mosques. In addition, the participants' attention to the barbarian actions of the Armenians who destroyed many historical and religious monuments of Azeri people in occupied Azerbaijani territories. Pashazade called on the international community to put pressure on Armenia's actions.