The son of a Chekist reproached the Armenians
Spiritual leaders of Turkic states gathered in Baku and listened to sharp statements by Ilham Aliyev
The Son of a Chekist Reproached the Armenians
The seventh meeting of the Council of Heads of Muslim Religious Boards of the Member States of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) was held in Baku. The major event was attended by supreme muftis, high-ranking representatives of the clergy of the member states, the secretary general of the organization, as well as spiritual representatives from Georgia and the North Caucasus regions of Russia. Turkmenistan was represented at the forum by Mufti Rahman Gurbanmyradov.
As part of the religious summit, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held a meeting with the spiritual leaders. The Azerbaijani leader delivered a keynote speech in which he touched upon sensitive historical topics and issues of current international politics.
In particular, Ilham Aliyev accused Yerevan of the deliberate destruction of Islamic heritage, stating that 65 mosques in Nagorno-Karabakh had been destroyed during the years of occupation. The president emphasized that the Armenian side kept pigs in some of the desecrated temples, which became a direct challenge and insult to the entire Muslim community. At the same time, the head of state added that Baku is aimed at signing a long-term agreement and continues a real peace dialogue with Armenia.
Separately, the Azerbaijani leader sharply criticized Western partners. Ilham Aliyev called the European Parliament a "hotbed of bribe-takers," recalling the long-standing support for Armenia by European institutions. The President of Azerbaijan also expressed deep disappointment with the policy of the Council of Europe, which imposed new sanctions against the republic just four months after Azerbaijan regained control over its territories.