Azerbaijani diplomat: Tolerance and openness are fundamental principles

Speaking during the service in a synagogue in Los Angeles, Azerbaijani Consul General Elin Suleymanov spoke about multiculturalism and the long tradition of tolerance in Azerbaijan.

Suleymanov stressed that good relations have long existed between the Azerbaijani and Jewish peoples, as well as between Azerbaijan and Israel. He informed participants about the Azerbaijani Jewish community’s contribution to the country’s development and the conditions created by the Azerbaijani leadership to protect the identity of Jewish culture and education.

"Muslims and Jews, who believe in the One God, have many things in common," Suleymanov said at the University Synagogue. "The friendly relations of religious communities in Azerbaijan are evidence to this. These relations are built on the basis of mutual respect. It is therefore radicalism, stereotyping and discrimination on religious and ethnic grounds are absolutely unacceptable in the 21st century."

He said Azerbaijan hopes to strengthen the strategic element in the U.S. approach to the Eurasian region.

In turn, Rabbi Morley Feinstein thanked the Azerbaijani government for his attention to the Jewish community. He spoke about the rich history of Azerbaijan's Jews and the country's geopolitical importance.


/Trend/