Azerbaijan is a multi-religious, multi-ethnic country and

 this is our great wealth. 

Dr. Vazeh ASGAROV

Associate Professor

Doctor of the University of Strasbourg 

Member of the Board of Directors of the New Azerbaijan Party

    For several centuries Azerbaijan has been a multi-ethnic country. This is why the government seems to have taken the necessary measures to ensure that equality is guaranteed between all citizens. At the same time, the state ensures that persons belonging to national minorities can participate fully in all activities of the country. Even though the notion of “national minority” is not defined in national legislation, the government of the Azerbaijani Republic recognizes rights of minority communities, since everyone has the right to freely determine their membership of any national minorities.    First of all, I would like precise that for many centuries, inter-religious traditions, traditions of tolerance and mutual respect had existed between ethnic and religious communities, including Muslims, Christians and Jews in Azerbaijan. Regardless of its socio-political structure, Azerbaijan has always proved to be an exemplary country in this direction. For centuries, representatives of all religions and all ethnic groups have lived in my country as a family in peace, kindness, friendship and mutual understanding. Azerbaijan is a multi-religious, multi-ethnic country and this is our great wealth. 

    Islam is the second religion in France after Catholicism. The French Muslim community is thus the first in Europe and the first in terms of growth. Essentially resulting from the immigration known by France from the 1960s from the Western world, primarily due to migration from Maghrebi, West African, and Middle Eastern countries, Muslim populations today are often second, third or even fourth generation.
    From my point view, the situation in Azerbaijan can't be comparing with France. Because Muslims came to France from Spain in 717. In 888, the Arab colony of Fraxinetum was founded in southern France, which existed for almost 100 years. In the future, there were practically no Muslims in France for a long time. In the 19th - early 20th centuries, territories with a significant Muslim population form Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco were annexed to the territories of France.
    Unfortunately, today the two words islamist and terrorist are sometimes confused in France. I know that the French Government is trying to establish the right relationship between the different religious but the problem still exists. I think that it is not directly related to religion. It is rather linked with the former French colonies and territories and their nationals who emigrated to France from the XX century. I find that it is rather necessary to build the relations with the nationals of these countries because there are many other minorities with the Muslim confession which are installed in France of the other Muslim countries which have no inter-religious problem.

Dr. Vazeh ASGAROV

Associate Professor