How can the issue be considered resolved when Armenian captives are subjected to torture and are tortured to death? Garegin II's Speech

Spiritual leaders' prayers and efforts today should aim to create an atmosphere of solidarity and mutual understanding in order to relieve tension and to have the Almighty bless our lives with His peace, mercy, and abundant grace. This was stated by His Holiness Garegin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, on October 13 in Moscow (Russian Federation) at the St. Daniel's Cathedral, during a meeting of spiritual leaders from Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, under the mediation of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

According to the information system of the Mother See, this was the 17th meeting held in this format since 1988 in favor of a peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

In his address to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Administration, Garegin II specifically said: "How can the Karabakh conflict be resolved, while Azerbaijan continues to be guided by the principle of the use of force and expansionist aspirations regarding the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue? As long as the status of Nagorno-Karabakh is not clarified and the right of the Armenian population of Artsakh to independent life is not guaranteed. State-level propaganda of hatred towards Armenians, violence and murders against peaceful residents, the so-called Strategist's Park in Baku, are evidence of the fact that the people of Nagorno-Karabakh can never live safely and survive within Azerbaijan, as long as all prisoners of war are not released, regardless of the status assigned to them by Azerbaijan, the real number of which remains undisclosed.

According to our information, Armenian captives often suffer humiliation and torture while in captivity, and in some cases, they are tortured to death, as long as the fate of many individuals who have been victims of forced disappearances is not known, as long as Azerbaijan has not ceased its assaults on the state border of the Republic of Armenia and has not withdrawn from the occupied territories, as long as there is no proper treatment of globally significant Armenian historical and cultural heritage in accordance with international law, as long as our places of worship are being destroyed and desecrated, and efforts continue to falsify history and strip Armenian monasteries and churches of their identity, their legal belonging to the Armenian Church of the Artsakh Diocese is not recognized, and our children are deprived of their right to visit their sacred places.

The Armenian people have always valued peace and sought peaceful coexistence with neighboring peoples, constantly respecting the religious freedoms and cultural identity of others. Our people's pacifist aspirations are built on the conviction that there are no winners in wars, all lose because there can be no victory where human tragedy prevails. The Holy Scriptures of our Christians inspire humanity with the vision of "peace on earth and goodwill among men" (Luke 2:14), a message of tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and goodwill is also conveyed in the Holy Book of Islam, the Qur'an, stating: "We set for each of you a law and a way of life. If God had willed, He could have made you one community, but (He did not will) in order to try you in what He has given you. So race to good deeds." (Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:48).

It is in this spirit that today, in the interconnected reality of the 21st century, all issues between nations must be resolved only through peaceful means, with justice, legality, and respect for rights. War is not the path to problem-solving, and this war has indeed given birth not to solutions but to new tragedies and new problems. It is impossible to build peace under the barrel of a gun, using the issue of prisoners of war, and it is impossible to achieve unity and cooperation by sowing hatred towards Armenians at the state level and opening communication channels with threats.

Despite the existing severe situation, we continue to hope that we will be able to overcome the challenges we face, also with the support of our peace-loving neighboring countries and the concerned international community and organizations. We also hope that in this difficult situation, the authorities of Azerbaijan will retract their expansionist aspirations that could plunge the region into a new, larger-scale war.

Spiritual leaders' prayers and efforts today should aim to create an atmosphere of solidarity and mutual understanding in order to relieve tension and to have the Almighty bless our lives with His peace, mercy, and abundant grace.

Once again, we thank you, dear brother in Christ, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, for the efforts you have made for peace and for this meeting.

Honorable Sheikh-ul-Islam, we believe that this meeting will bring results with your direct mediation, particularly in addressing humanitarian issues, resolving existing spiritual-religious problems, and reaffirming peace in the lives of our peoples. We pray for peace in the world and the restoration of safe and normal conditions for life's advancement in our region. May the Lord bless all paths of peace and guide our peoples with His wisdom."