DUSHANBE, November 27, Asia-Plus — Interdenominational dialogue was major topic of a meeting of Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloyev, Chairman of the Majlisi Milli (Tajikistan’s upper chamber of parliament), with visiting Metropolitan of Tashkent and Central Asia Vladimir that was held in Dushanbe on November 26.
Shavkat Saidov, an aide to the Majlisi Milli speaker for public relations, said that in the course of the talks Ubaidulloyev pointed out that dialogue promoting development of mutual understanding between peoples should be conducted not only by politicians and statesmen but also at public level.
He noted that all necessary conditions had been created in Tajikistan for a broad democratization of life, free activities of various religions and religious organizations.
“Peaceful coexistence and protection of intellectual and religious values have been characteristic features of the Tajik people since the ancient time,” said Ubaidulloyev, “Thus, ideas of Jalal Al-Din Rumi and other great ancestors of the Tajik people instruct the present generation in trying to find the sense of real democracy.”
For his part, Metropolitan Vladimir agreed that ideas of relations of friendship and cooperation originate in remote ages and are more and more developing at present and noted that it is necessary to take measures to preserve and enrich those ideas as the great values.
As it had bee reported earlier, Metropolitan of Tashkent and Central Asia Vladimir made a three-day pastoral tour of Tajikistan on November 24-26 to get acquainted with state of the Orthodox churches in the country.
