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The 2nd Interreligious Peacemaking Forum
On March 2, 2004 opening of the 2nd Interreligious peacemaking forum took place in the conference hall of "Danilovski" complex. More than 300 persons from all countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States representing traditional religious community have taken part in its work. The Apostolic Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexyi II addressed to the participants of the Interreligious Forum with the word of salutation.
Review under the materials of communications service of the department of external church communications of the Moscow Patriarchy
Right Worthy High Representatives of the Authorities of the Countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States! Yours Holinesses, Right Worthy Heads and Representatives of religious associations of the countries of the Commonwealth! Right-Reverend Archpastors, respected participants of the forum!
I greet you on the blessed Moscow ground, for already the second time accepting the high assembly of traditional spiritual leaders of the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
The 1st Interreligious peacemaking forum taken place here in November 2000, has evidently shown that those friendly mutual relations which have developed between religious leaders in the years of militant godlessness, have stood testing by disintegration of the USSR, fratricidal conflicts between peoples, progressing moral degradation of society. Traditions of interreligious communications were preserved and increased greatly, having enriched with new forms of dialogue and cooperation. In many countries of the Commonwealth the level of mutual understanding between the leading religious communities is close to ideal. At the state and regional levels permanent interreligious structures are created, most known of them is the Interreligious Council of Russia.
Certainly, there were fears that development of interreligious dialogue can result in religious syncretism and revision doctrinal statements, deleting borders between spiritual traditions. However, time has shown: the reasonable system of collaboration of religions keeps and emphasizes uniqueness and originality of each of them. Moreover, the form of interreligious dialogue accepted by us became serious obstacle for manipulations aimed at creation of a certain world superreligion.
For the past years the leaders of traditional religions mutually reacted to many burning challenges and problems, calling their followers to peace and consent. Their coordinated peacemaking position which became the consequence of centuries-old friendship of Orthodox Christians, Moslems, Jews and Buddhists, has helped to avoid many conflicts, not to allow transformation of interethnic conflicts into interreligious, to put the end to expansion of destructive pseudo-religious currents. Now we are together promoting search of the optimum system of relations between religion, state and society, we help moral revival of our peoples, we confront with the challenges of new time. "Bad tree cannot yield good fruit, nor good tree yields bad fruit " (Matthias, 7.18), - the Savior says. Seeing significant benefit from interreligious dialogue, we may consider it a good tree yielding good fruit.
Sometimes the countries of the Commonwealth are accused in lack of freedom and democracy, someone tries to teach them how to build the relations between religions and creeds. At the same time they allegedly forget that exactly in our region of the world there weren't any religious wars, but, to the contrary, there was a unique experience of harmonious co-existence of religions and cultures. Nowhere in the world the interreligious cooperation which is carried out by spiritual leaders, does not cause such attention and support from the part of temporal powers and mass media. Now we witness how, due to the dialogue, religious variety becomes significant factor of division, but of rapproachement of the countries. I testify that this unique experience should be demanded in other world if it wishes to avoid global opposition.
I am convinced that our joint efforts will develop and serve the benefit of the people. I would like to wish all participants of the forum fruitful work and successes in any beneficence.
Once again I intimately greet the spiritual leaders of the countries of Commonwealth who have gathered in Moscow at the 2nd Interreligious peacemaking forum. I think our dialogue, our discussion will help rapproachement of our peoples, consolidation of peace and consent on the earth. Once again I wish all you blessed successes at the beginning forum.
Greeting of the President of Russia V.V.Putin to participants of the 2nd Interreligious peacemaking forum.
Please let me greet the participants of the 2nd Interreligious peacemaking forum.
Today, when international community faces extremism, attempts to use religion for achievement of unrighteous purposes, the voice of authoritative religious figures in protection of peace and human life is especially important.
Great respect is deserved the aspiration of religious organizations of CIS countries to keep and increase traditions of good neighbourliness of people of different nationalities and religions.
I hope that your joint efforts and will henceforth serve strengthening of public consent, development of cooperation between peoples.
I wish to the forum fruitful work, and to its participants - all the best.
Greetings to the Interreligious peacemaking forum were also sent by several Heads of CIS states, in particular, the President of Georgia Mr. Michael Saakashvili, the President of Armenia Mr. Robert Kocharyan and the President of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliev. Greeting speech of the President of the Republic of Georgia Mr. Michael Saakashvili to the participants of the 2nd Interreligious peacemaking forum was announced by the Georgian State Minister Mr. Georgi Hajndrava.
Let me heartily congratulate you with the beginning of the 2nd Interreligious Peacemaking Forum.
It is symbolical that the Forum takes place in Russia where representatives of various nationalities and religions live side by side for centuries.
For the last years spiritual leaders of traditional religions of Russia and CIS countries worked hard in strengthening moral principles of society, interethnic and interreligious world and consent, trust and mutual understanding between people. All this deserves gratitude and appreciation.
I am deeply convinced that this noblest activity will bring in weighty contribution to settlement of existing interstate problems and internal conflicts that will allow many thousand people, refugees and displaced persons, to return to their lares and to begin new peaceful life.
I sincerely wish you success in your work in the name of prosperity and well-being of our countries and peoples.
Greeting of the President of the Azerbaijan Republic I.Aliev to the participants of the 2nd Interreligious peacemaking forum
Dear participants of the forum!
Highly estimating the aims of your forum, I wish all of you happiness, health, well-being and further successes in realization of the noble mission for achievement of peace and consent in our countries. I hope the forum will bring in the feasible contribution to the further development of meaningful dialogue of peoples, cultures and religions.
In the Azerbaijan Republic where all world religions have been traditionally represented, during many centuries the unique system of spiritual priorities formed, distinguished by harmonious combination of religious, national and universal values, as well as by conditions of the highest tolerance. Namely this has predetermined the modern condition of state and religious relations constructed on the principles of mutual understanding and cooperation.
I am sure that consideration of many epochal problems of modernity through the prism of interreligious dialogue will promote prevention of such dangerous phenomena as aggressive separatism. Condemnation of terrorism and separatism by outstanding religious figures will certainly promote liquidation of centers of intensity existing in CIS countries, including activation of complex process of peaceful settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict in Nagorny Karabakh.
Greeting of the President of the Republic of Armenia R. Kocharyan to the participants of the 2nd Interreligious peacemaking forum
I sincerely welcome the participants of the Second Interreligious peacemaking forum in the person of the outstanding spiritual leaders, and also famous state and public figures of CIS countries. We attach great significance to multilateral cooperation of various in consolidating cultural values in the society, achievement of consent and stability, strengthening of peace.
I would like to especially note the constructive contribution of the Russian Orthodox Church and personally His Holiness Alexyi II, to strengthening of interreligious and interethnic cooperation throughout CIS countries.
I wish the Second Interreligious peacemaking forum and its participants fruitful work.
On behalf of the participants of the forum the Chairman of Administration of Caucasian Moslems sheikh-ul-islam Allahshukjur Pasha-zade has congratulated the Head of the Russian Orthodox Church with his 75th anniversary and sincerely wished him good health and longevity.
At the plenary session also spoke the Holiest and Blessed Catholicos - Patriarch of All Georgia Iliya the 2nd, who put forward the initiative of creation of interreligious peacemaking groups in CIS regions where interethnic conflicts smoulder.
The Holiest Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians Garegin the 2nd addressing to participants of the forum with salutatory speech has noted: "Today we gathered to consolidate our peoples on the way of peace and consent, to show, that the force of people is not in weapon but in blessing of the Lord". The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation I.S.Ivanov said to the participant "Our countries have valuable experience of coexistence of dozens of nationalities and religions. This experience is important in itself, but this experience is even more important to increase concrete efforts of our states with support of the society, especially in the conditions when, unfortunately, in CIS countries conflicts and zones of intensity continue to exit. That is why the initiative of carrying out the Interreligious peacemaking forum, put forward in 2000, deserves the highest estimation. I think that in view of the events taken place since then in the world and in CIS countries, the urgency of this initiative grows even more. It is essentially important that the work within the framework of the forum has united the religious leaders who are well-known by their contribution to peacemaking, creation of the atmosphere of toleration and nonviolence. As to the Russian diplomacy, I can inform that we have for already a long time been cooperating in the interests of peace and stability with the representatives of all faiths in CIS countries. I am deeply convinced that such cooperation serves the noble purpose of preservation and development of kind traditions of friendship between our countries and peoples". At the first plenary session also spoke the Head Rabbi of Russia Mr. Berl Lazar, the Head of Buddhist Traditional Sangha of Russia Pandito Hambo Lama Damba Ayushev, the of Clerical Administration of Moslems (DUM) of the Republic of Uzbekistan mufti Abdurashid Bahromov, the Head Rabbi of Russia Mr. Adolf Shaevich, the Chairman of the Coordination Center of Northern Caucasus Mouslems Mr. Ismail Bergiev, the Chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia, mufti Ravil Gajnutdin.
In conclusion of the first plenary session of the forum the Chairman of the Department of external church communications of the Moscow Patriarchy, Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Kirill took the speech. Theme of the speech was "CIS space as the place of unique interreligious dialogue".
In CIS countries many peoples with their original cultural and religious traditions are living. Disintegration of former multinational state, aggravated interethnic contradictions, forced us to find the modus vivendi in which different ethnoses, religions and cultures could coexist peacefully.
Where should we address in this search? Sometimes we are told that the most successful experience of interreligious dialogue and cooperation is experience of prosperous countries far abroad. Certainly, we sincerely investigate this experience and in many respects we use it. But whether it is necessary to be based only on it?
By the way, the history of Western Europe abounds with religious wars and conflicts. And though they have sunk into oblivion, till now they cannot resolve the newly arising conflicts. So, the government of France, to the contrary of the will of many believers, has practically achieved the interdiction to wear in public places the religious symbols - Moslem hinjabs, visible Christian Crosses, Judaic kipas, Sikh turbans and so on. Whether this act it and evidence of despair? Maybe, it's an attempt to getaway by interdictions from real life in which religion plays more and more evident public role?
In CIS countries relations between different religions and also between religions and secularism are seen less disputed. Certainly, we have passed through a fierce opposition of faith and impiety, but it has ended in civil peace. There were interethnic and political conflicts, but they never grew into religious wars. It is difficult to imagine more restless time in Russia than the beginning of the 20th century, when the revolution took place and in the country fratricidal war began, overstraining not only the class but also the interethnic relations. However, that's what the editor M.M. Vinaver wrote in 1922 in the newspaper "The Jewish Tribune", published in Berlin: "The Orthodox Church in whole, as a unification of believers, and especially believing orthodox people, has never shown in relation to Jews any proselytism, nor sharp intolerance, nor activity in prosecution. Truly believing Russian people got used to variety of opinions in the matters of belief, itself inclined to search and deepen the questions of belief, they not only reconcile, but understand and respect otherwise-believing persons if only their belief was pure and sincere". (Bolsheviks and The Orthodox Church // The Jewish Tribune. 1922 .#23 (128) of June 19.)
We have got an effective model of peaceful co-existing, worthy overcoming of contradictions. What is the reason of it? I believe that it is in our historical, spiritual, cultural heritage. We, the people sitting in this hall, are united not only by out common history, not only by common personal experience and common experience of our peoples. We are united in many respects by similar spiritual ideals, and one of them is the ideal of humility. I shall explain why I have recollected here this word which so is frequently used in the days of the Lent.
The virtue of humility today is very seldom spoken of, for a long time it was "out of fashion". However, humility is not a voluntary wretchedness, but a conscious refusal of arrogance, in particular, refusal of attempt to construct by one's own forces the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, refusal from the pride of "social designing". We submissively love the Creator and the fine world created by Him. Hoping only on human forces is not our tradition. The aspiration to create the uniform quasi-religion, to generate the "global ethics" is devoid to us. We sincerely and carefully respect the traditions of centuries belonging to our peoples. Each of these peoples, each national and cultural community has the right to its way of life, under its own principles of society construction. Nobody should impose to it any other public model, especially using force.
Dialogue and cooperation of religions today are stimulated by opening of borders, strengthening of international cooperation, joint participation of the countries and peoples in global processes. At the same time for us - believing people of traditional religions - relations with the integration processes is caused by our duty to keep and develop uniqueness of personality, family, people, primordial spiritual traditions of nations and ethnic groups. Possibility of loss of the faith of the fathers never becomes for believers the allowable price of integration with anybody, it was repeatedly proved by history.
On the other hand, it is very important that upholding and search of national identity not to take the forms of extreme nationalism and xenophobia, capable to result in bloody conflicts. Here again it is necessary to emphasize the role of interreligious dialogue which is important not only as a mean of overcoming possible miscommunications and suspiciousness between religious communities but also as a way of joint upholding in conditions of secularism of spiritual and moral values proclaimed by traditional religions, upholding the right on religious way of life which is carried out at the level of personal and public life.
The future of global order is not in the melting boiler of civilizations destroying traditional values, including religious ones, but in mutually respectful coexistence and cooperation of all cultural models. It is very important that none of these models to be applied as universal and suppress the others by political, economic or military force.
Whether the multi-civilization order of the world leads to disintegration of the unity of human beings? No. Under condition if it will be possible to avoid mutual isolation and alienation. For this reason between the ethnocultural communities the dialogue is necessary. The dialogue aimed not at mixing the faiths, not at their "unification" around the secular ideas of organization of the world, around materialism and rationalism. We need the dialogue which will allow each religious tradition to open its potential in creation of personal, family, public life, in construction of strong and fair world.
The territory of CIS countries is the unique place in the world where such dialogue is possible. I believe, religious leaders of CIS countries will fully use this opportunity for the benefit of their peoples and the peoples of all the world.
The following persons took part in the forum: Vladimir, Metropolitan of Kishinev and All Moldova, Chairman of DUM of the Republic of Kyrghyzstan Mufti Murataly aju Jumanov, Mufti of the Republic of Tadjikistan Amonullo Nigmatzody and other religious figures from all the countries of CIS, and also official representatives, scientific and public figures, representatives of international interreligious organizations, having displayed great interest in the problems that became the themes of the seven "round-table discussions": "Modern condition of the relations between state and religion in the territory of CIS"," Coordination of the efforts of traditional religions for responding the common challenges"," Social service of religious organizations"," Problems of religious education", "Experience of distribution of interreligious cooperation to the regional level", "Religion and mass media", "Peace-making efforts of religious organizations". At the final plenary session the heads of the "round tables" reported about the work made. Then the greeting to the forum from the Executive Committee of CIS was heard, the greeting speech was announced by the first deputy executive secretary of the Commonwealth Mr. A.I. Golovaty.
Further, the Resulting Document of the 2nd Interreligious peacemaking forum and the Declaration about creation of Interreligious Council of CIS were heard and approved, the list of the members of Presidium of the Interreligious Council of CIS and the structure of the Interreligious Council and the list of members of the Executive committee were approved.
For the second time the foremost spiritual leaders of CIS countries are meeting at the top level. For the 4 years passed since the 1st Interreligious peacemaking forum many dramatic events have taken place which seriously affected peaceful co-existence of the followers of traditional religions. The world faced the real threat of global opposition provoked by economic, political and social motives aggravating religious and cultural differences. In this situation common peacemaking position of the leaders of religious traditions becomes the important factor preventing collision of civilizations, which was developed due to developing dialogue of religions.
In our region of the world there were no religious wars, but, on the contrary, there was formed unique experience of harmonious coexistence of religions and cultures. In the majority of the countries of the Commonwealth interreligious relations are close to optimal, that is proved by coordinated reaction of spiritual leaders to the burning events, numerous and regular joint actions, creation of permanent interreligious structures.
It is pleasant to see that for the last years many positive shifts in the relations between state and religion took place, and our religious communities does not face any more the question of simple survival. However, militant godlessness was superseded by new challenges - radical secularism, aggressive prosetelism, interethnic enmity, terrorism.
The forum is deeply concerned by some mass media inflaming enmity in relation to traditional religions and their followers.
We testify, that truly believing people never will take on the way of terror. We are convinced, that those who meaningly became terrorists, have renounced their belief. We with bitterness ascertain, that their consciousness is closed by mad ideas for arguments of reason and the only language they understand is the language of force. Traditional religious organizations use their best efforts to constrain the growth of terror and blasphemous use of religious symbols by terrorists. Simultaneously we offer our help and support in struggle against this evil to the governments of our countries.
Religions have significant peacemaking potential, especially in the field of interethnic relations. For this reason there where intensity is kept or an open conflict exists, representatives of the religions being traditional for the majority of the peoples involved in those conflicts, are called to resolute and urgent joint peacemaking actions. There, where blood is shed or there is a direct threat of using force, our interaction and cooperation aimed at prompt peace and fair sanction of existing problems should be especially vigorous.
Exasperation of human hearts growing from year to year became the consequence of moral crisis, oblivion by people of the moral standards established by the God. Temptations and vices of the new century strenuously propagandized as some norm of human life, destructively influence the souls of people, transforming them into thoughtless consumers of goods and services.
Mutual relations of the leading cultural and spiritual traditions are complicated by attempts of their unification, imposing to peoples of equal way of life, one type of social system, uniform civilization model. All this provokes conflicts, creates nutritious ground for extremist moods. We are sure that only having recognized the right of modern civilization for multiplicity it is possible to avoid fatal contradictions.
All the countries of the Commonwealth now experience the process of religious revival. The majority of their citizens consider themselves believing people. Religion returns to itself the appropriate place in the life of the society, being actively involved into various spheres of its life. The partnership of religious communities with the state and society develops in the field of social work, education of youth, preservation and development of traditional culture, care of public morals.
Participants of the forum are convinced: religion is able to and will play uniting and conciliating role in the Commonwealth, promote cooperation and dialogue of our countries and peoples. We trust that our joint work will help to overcome interethnic enmity, to remove from our peoples the threat of terrorism, extremism, loss of freedom and independence.
We address to Christians, Moslems, Jew, Buddhists, to all people, with the appeal to keep peace and consent, to work together for the benefit of our countries.
"We, spiritual leaders of the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, testify that we have fully preserved increased greatly the centuries-old traditions of interreligious cooperation. The level of our mutual understanding now allows to leave for the frameworks of periodic interreligious conferences and to get to higher level of joint activity.
Successful experience of the work of permanent interreligious structures has shown that exactly with their help interrelations between religions are becoming more effective and fruitful. We consider that presently is the right time to unite the efforts of spiritual leaders of the countries of the Commonwealth within the framework of Interreligious Council of CIS with the following purposes:
1. Coordination of joint activity of traditional religious organizations of CIS countries in strengthening of interethnic and interreligious peace, achievement of consent and stability in the society, development of the dialogue between spiritual leaders, joining the efforts in the struggle against common challenges, strengthening traditional cultural values in the society.
2. Assistance in cooperation of the countries - members of the Commonwealth, by consolidation of connections between their spiritual leaders and religious communities.
3. All-round and regular exchange of experience in the sphere of relations between state and religion, peacemaking, social service and other vitally significant matters.
We hope that the work of the Interreligious Council of CIS will serve for the benefit of our countries and peoples, the benefit of all our compatriots - followers of various religions, all people of good will.
The Interreligious Council of the Commonwealth of Independent States (hereinafter - the Commonwealth), hereinafter referred to the Council, is a public organization created by traditional religious associations of the Commonwealth.
The Founders of the Council are the following religious organizations:
- Armenian Apostolic Church;
- Buddhist Traditional Sangha of Russia;
the Georgian Orthodox Church;.
- Clerical Administration of Moslems of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
- Clerical Administration of Moslems of the Republic of Kyrghyzstan;
- Clerical Administration of Moslems of the Republic of Tadjikistan;
- Clerical Administration of Moslems of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
- Congress of Jewish religious organizations and associations of Russia;
- Coordination Center of Moslems of Northern Caucasus;
- Russian Orthodox Church;
- Council of Muftis of Russia;
- Administration of Moslems of Caucasus;
- Federation of Jewish Communities of the Commonwealth of Independent States;
- Central Clerical Administration of Moslems of Russia.
1. The Holiest Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexyi the 2nd - honorable cochairman.
2. Chairman of the Administration of Moslems of Caucasus, sheikh - ul-islam Allahshukjur Pasha-zade (Azerbaijan) - honorable cochairman.
3. The Holiest and Blessed Catholicos - Patriarch of all Georgia Iliya the 2nd.
4. The Holiest Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians Garegin the 2nd.
5. Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Vladimir.
6. Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret, the Patriarchal Exarch of All Byelorussia.
7. Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Kirill, Chairman of the department of external church connections of the Moscow Patriarchy.
8. Metropolitan of Kishinev and All Moldova Vladimir.
9. Metropolitan of Astanaj and Alma-Ata Mephodi.
10. Metropolitan of Tashkent and Central Asia Vladimir.
11. Chairman of Clerical Administration of Moslems of the Republic of Uzbekistan mufti Abdurashid Bahromov.
12. Chairman of Clerical Administration of Moslems of Kazakhstan mufti Absattar Derbisaliev.
13. Chairman of Clerical Administration of Moslems of the Republic of Kyrghyzstan mufti Muratala aji Jumanov.
14. Mufti of the Republic of Tadjikistan Amonullo Nigmatzoda.
15. Chairman of the Coordination Center of Moslems of Northern Caucasus mufti Ismail Berdiev.
16. Chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia mufti Ravil Gajnutdin.
17. Chairman of the Central Clerical Administration of Moslems of Russia - Supreme Mufti sheikh-ul-islam Talgat Tadzhuddin.
18. Head Rabbi of Russia Berl Lazar.
19. Head Rabbi of Russia A.S. Shaevich.
20. Head Rabbi of Ukraine Azriel Khaikin.
21. Head Rabbi of Ukraine Jacob Blajh.
22. Head of Buddhist Traditional Sangha of Russia Pandito Hambo Lama Damba Ayushev.
Total: Christians - 9, Moslems - 8, Jews - 4, Buddhist - 1.
At the first session of the Executive Committee of the Interreligious Council of CIS, held after termination of the work of the 2nd Interreligious peacemaking forum, the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Interreligious Council of CIS was elected Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Kirill. Secretary-coordinator of the Executive Committee of the Interreligious Council of CIS was elected Mr. R.A. Silantjev - the executive secretary of the Interreligious Council of Russia.
At the press conference held on March 3, 2004 in the conference hall of "Danilovski" complex, it was announced that the next, 3rd Interreligious forum, will be held in Baku. "We have gratefully accepted the invitation of the Chairman of the Aministration of Moslems of Caucasus sheikh-ul-islam Allahshukjur Pasha-zade", - said Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Kirill.
At the press conference the attention was attracted to the fact that the religious leaders gathered in Moscow, have supported the offer of coordination of activity of the traditional religious organizations of CIS.
It was pointed out that for this is important for solving many tasks, first of all, for strengthening the interethnic consent. As it is widely known, in the post-Soviet territory after disintegration of the Soviet Union there appeared many dangerous interethnic conflicts, including some resulting in bloody collisions.
Participants of the 2nd Interreligious peacemaking forum supported for more active participation of representatives of traditional religions both in settlement of these conflicts and in prevention of negative events which can result in interethnic opposition. The hope was expressed that the work of the Interreligious Council of CIS will promote for development of the dialogue both between spiritual leaders and between the religious organizations for strengthening of traditional cultural values in our countries. As it is known, these values are exposed to significant erosion under influence of various dangerous factors, for instance, radical secularism which excludes religious motivation from public work, leaving for believers only the narrow space of personal and home life. Besides, traditional cultural values, are undoubtedly degraded in public consciousness under the influence of vigorous activity from the part of various pseudo-religious groups and sects.
Replying to the question about the present level of interreligious relations in Russian regions, the Chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia, mufti Ravil Gajnutdin, said: "As it was pointed out in the course of the work of "round tables", dialogue and cooperation between traditional religions in the Russian Federation exist not only in the framework of the Interreligious Council of Russia, but also at the level of the subjects of the Russian Federation. In some of them, in particular, in Tatarstan, in Perm and Krasnoyarsk regions, regional interreligious councils are already acting. In the performances at the section sessions positive results of their work were mentioned".
At the forum the opinion was stated, that development of relations between spiritual leaders and traditional religious communities will promote cooperation between the countries - members of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
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