The position of the President of Russia, who demanded to ensure the safety of Christian relics, is aimed at achieving interfaith peace and preventing religious conflicts.
So the State Duma deputy, member of the International Affairs Committee, director of the RUSSTRAT Institute Elena Panina commented on the information about the situation around the Christian churches remaining in the territories that should be transferred to Azerbaijan according to the trilateral agreements of Yerevan, Baku and Moscow.
“Considering the significant influence of the Turkish side on Azerbaijan, it is worth paying attention to the sad experience of Northern Cyprus, where Orthodox churches are in a depressing state, are used as warehouses and garages, and are painted with offensive inscriptions. The situation in Kosovo is even more tragic, where Christian shrines are regularly desecrated and destroyed, ”Panina said.
The politician also recalled the development of the situation around the Hagia Sophia, which for centuries was a symbol of Constantinople, Byzantium, and Orthodox civilization. The MP stressed that giving Hagia Sophia the legal status of a Muslim mosque is also an indicator of the attitude of the Turkish authorities to the Christian heritage.
“In relation to the Christian heritage of Transcaucasia, Baku should not repeat the mistakes of Turkey,” Panina stated.