Azerbaijan, Baku / Тrend corr S. Aghayeva / Christianity cannot ever be declared as the second religion in the State of Azerbaijan, where Muslims comprise over 98% of the population, the Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Clerical Port, Sheik-ul-Islam Hadji Allahshukur Pashazadeh, stated to journalists on 28 August.
Separate Christian groups would like to recognize Christianity as the second religion in the State of Azerbaijan, a country with an 8mln population with 170,000 Russians. "Until now the Azerbaijan's administration has maintained Islam as the main religion in the country and the Muslims do not support recognition of Christianity as the State's second religion. That is the wish of independent outsiders," Sheik-ul-Islam said.
Pashazadeh voiced his hope that the Azerbaijani nation did not to lose its genealogical roots and religion.