Saying Karabakh Conflict is Religious in Nature is Unacceptable: Serzh Sargsyan

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is not religious in nature and all attempts to give it a religious shade are destructive, said Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan in his opening remarks at the meeting of the Presidium of the Inter-religious Council of the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States), held in Yerevan from Nov. 28–29.

The state leader announced that Christianity and Islam, which Armenians and Azerbaijanis profess, cannot be allowed to oppose each other.

“Moreover, we consider unacceptable the destruction of monuments of historical, cultural and spiritual heritage under the guise of the conflict.

“Before this important audience, in the name of the Republic of Armenia, I reaffirm our commitment to preserve and, if necessary, restore all such values. The best proof of this policy of ours is the 18th-century monument, the Blue Mosque, adorning the center of the Armenian capital, Yerevan,” said Sargsyan, according to a statement published on the official presidential website.