Baku, November 5 (AzerTAc). Chairman of Caucasian Muslims Office Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade has met a delegation from Vatican led by President of the Pontifical Council for Culture Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi. 
They discussed Azerbaijan-Vatican relations, as well as the issues of tolerance and interreligious cooperation.
The chairman of Caucasian Muslims Office recalled the visit by Pope John Paul II to Azerbaijan on the invitation of national leader Heydar Aliyev, and hailed the level of the bilateral ties. Allahshukur Pashazade praised efforts of Azerbaijan`s First Lady, president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva to bolster the relations between the two countries.
The Sheikh-ul-Islam highlighted religion-state relations, saying representatives of all nations live in peace and friendship in Azerbaijan irrespective of their language and religion. He said foundations of religious tolerance in Azerbaijan were laid in accordance with national leader Heydar Aliyev`s state-religion concept. “Now, this course is being successfully continued by President Ilham Aliyev.”
On the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Allahshukur Pashazade thanked Vatican for its fair stance regarding resolution of the problem.
The chairman of the Caucasian Muslims Office said expanding the bilateral ties assumes great importance, and invited Pope Francis to visit Azerbaijan.
Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi praised tolerance climate in Azerbaijan, emphasizing the peaceful coexistence of a number of nations and religious confessions in Azerbaijan. The Cardinal said Vatican is interested in further boosting cooperation with Azerbaijan. Gianfranco Ravasi described cooperation between the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Vatican as successful and fruitful. He also hailed merits of Azerbaijan`s First Lady in popularizing national culture. The Cardinal also invited Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade to Vatican.
Bishop of the Baku and Azerbaijan eparchy of the Russian Orthodox Church Alexander Ishein and head of Azerbaijani Mountain Jews community Milikh Yevdayev were present at the meeting