On February 29, 2012, DECR Chairman Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk met with Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshuqur Pasha-zade, chairman of the Muslim Board for the Caucasus, at the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations.
Other representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church who took part in the meeting were Bishop Alexander of Baku and the Transcaspian Region and Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for church-state relations. The Sheikh was accompanied by Mufti Salman Musaev, first vice-chairman of the Muslim Board for the Caucasus, Mr. Mugaddae Paisov, head of the MBC department for international relations, Mr. Rufat Gasanov, head of the MBC protocol department, and Ms. Ragima Dadasheva, head of the MBC press service.
Metropolitan Hilarion warmly welcomed the distinguished guest to his department and expressed satisfaction at the opportunity for meeting him.
The discussion concerned prospects for developing interreligious dialogue, both in the CIS and on the world level, as well as other matters of mutual concern.