Supreme Mufti of Russia calls on Muslim world to recognize sovereignty of South Ossetia and Abkhazia

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Chairman of the Central Muslim Board of Russia, Supreme Mufti, Sheikh ul-Islam Talgat Tajuddin addressed regional Muslim boards and believers appealing for them to render necessary help and support to the people of South Ossetia and all those who suffered from the humanitarian catastrophe in the territory of this republic. REGNUM correspondent reports referring to the Central Muslim Board's press office.

The Supreme Mufti of Russia has also called on the whole Muslim world to recognize independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. ''Russian Muslims, like all our compatriots, support decision of the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on recognition of independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, for which the peoples of these republics have long suffered, and we call on the world community and the Islamic world to recognize independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia for the sake of peace and stability in the Caucasus,'' Tajuddin stated.

''From the beginning, the Central Muslim Board of Russia condemned the treacherous aggression against South Ossetia performed by the Georgian authorities, who unleashed a full-scale war against the long-suffered Ossetian people,'' Tajuddin said. ''The blood of Russian peacekeepers is shed there, of hundreds and thousands of peaceful residents, children, women, defenseless old people. Tskhinval and peaceful villages were ruined. In fact, a genocide of a whole nation was performed."

''Nobody can remain indifferent to the sufferings of these people,'' the Supreme Mufti is convinced. ''In all Muslim communities, believers pray for those killed and for the restoration of peace and order on this long-suffered land. The CMB and regional Muslim boards and believers send affordable material aid to the residents of South Ossetia.''

''We, as well as all the honest people of the world, cannot accept the double standards used to treat these events, while some overseas actors are trying to describe our country as an aggressor and aggravate the situation,'' Tajuddin said. ''Russia was and is the guarantor of peace and stability in the Caucasus. Russian peacekeepers were carrying out their peacekeeping duty with dignity, although they were fired at their backs.''