UN Official Praises Islam's Situation in Russia, Contrasts with US and Europe

MOSCOW, May 23. /TASS/. The situation with Islam and the Muslim community in the Russian Federation is excellent, in contrast to the United States and Europe, Miguel Angel Moratinos, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General, High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilizations, said in an interview with TASS.

"I had a more substantial discussion with the main religious muftis and Imams, the mufti of the Russian Federation, other representatives of the Muslim community. The top leadership of Muslim communities in Russia I met in Kazan. I think the situation in Russia is perfect. I mean, they feel very well integrated, they have a good relation with the Christian Orthodox Church," he said.

Moratinos believes Russia can be proud of its achievements in interreligious and interfaith dialogue. "Some people in the meeting said that Kazan was the mirror of Islamic life in Russia, but I think it’s all out of Kazan, the whole Russian Federation benefit of this good situation of Islam and Muslim community. That is not the case in Europe. That is not the case in the United States, but not as much as in Europe. European political scenarios are extremely contaminated, in inverted commas, with this obsession about Islam," he noted.