BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) - Pope John Paul II's planned trip to Ukraine next month is likely to worsen religious tensions in the country, Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II said Sunday.
``Unfortunately, the pope's visit will not bring soothing and pacification between religious groups in Ukraine, but will bring further aggravation,'' Alexy said.
He spoke after a meeting with Allakh Shukyur Pasha-zade, the head of Muslims in predominantly Islamic Azerbaijan.
The two religious leaders signed a declaration calling for cooperation between nationalities and expressing anxiety about foreign missionary activities in their countries.
The Russian Orthodox Church has said it is firmly opposed to a visit by the pope unless the Vatican backs off from missionary activities in predominantly Orthodox countries.
The pope's planned visit to Ukraine in June has been heavily criticized by the Russian Orthodox Church. The church says the visit should not take place until disputes over church properties are resolved between the Orthodox and Ukraine's Greek Catholics, who are loyal to the Vatican.