BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. On October 17, First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Vatican, Trend reports.
First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva expressed her pleasure at meeting Cardinal Pietro Parolin again and congratulated the Catholic world on the occasion of the “Jubilee Year.”
She thanked the Secretary of State for his participation in the COP29 event held in Azerbaijan in November last year and hailed the dynamic expansion of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Holy See in recent years.
Emphasizing that Azerbaijan embodies the values of religious tolerance and multiculturalism as both state policy and a societal norm, Mehriban Aliyeva spoke about the work carried out by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation within the framework of cooperation with the Holy See. She noted the great potential for further developing bilateral relations. Speaking about the relations with the Catholic community in Azerbaijan, the First Vice-President said: “The issue raised during the Secretary of State's visit to Azerbaijan in November last year—the construction of a second Catholic Church in our country—has found a positive resolution. A positive decision on this matter has already been made by President Ilham Aliyev, and construction of the second Catholic Church in the capital will begin in the near future.” Mehriban Aliyeva underlined that Cardinal Pietro Parolin is regarded in Azerbaijan as a close friend of the country and its people and expressed gratitude for his contributions to the successful and steady development of bilateral cooperation.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin expressed his honor at seeing First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva again and conveyed his deep appreciation to the Azerbaijani state and personally to President Ilham Aliyev for efforts in strengthening relations with the Holy See. He described his meeting with President Ilham Aliyev during his visit to Azerbaijan at COP29 as a gesture of respect toward the Vatican. Highlighting the projects implemented with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Cardinal praised the cooperation and the exemplary relations between the state and the Catholic community in Azerbaijan. “The construction of a second Catholic Church in Baku is a highly commendable development, and for that, we are grateful to Azerbaijan. This is yet another manifestation of the care and respect shown to all religions in your country. Azerbaijan serves as an example for many countries in this regard,” he said.
The Cardinal also noted that the awarding of Bishop Vladimir Fekete, Apostolic Prefect of the Catholic Church in Azerbaijan, with the “Friendship” Order by President Ilham Aliyev is another sign of respect toward the Holy See.
Pietro Parolin congratulated Azerbaijan on the signing of the Joint Declaration by Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the United States on August 8 in Washington, and on the initialing of the peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He reaffirmed the Vatican’s unequivocal support for peace in the region.
Expressing her gratitude to Cardinal Pietro Parolin for his congratulations, First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva highly valued the outcomes of the Washington Summit, emphasizing that the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia remain committed to the peace agenda and expressing hope for the establishment of lasting peace in the region.
Photo – Vatican Media
