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Published by Stetson
University Russia Religion News, August 18,
2004
Patriarch intervenes in Caucasus dispute
DECLARATION OF
ALEXIS II IN CONNECTION WITH ESCALATION OF
MILITARY ACTIONS IN SOUTH OSSETIA
(Communications
Service of OVTsSMP, 17 August 2004) - With heavy
feelings of sorrow I have learned about the
intensification of the situation in South Ossetia.
The danger to the life of civilians of various
nationalities who live in this territory evokes
profound alarm in our church.
Conflicts can and should be resolved only with the
aid of negotiations. The world knows a multitude
of examples of peoples living side-by-side
autonomously determining and constructing their
fate. I am convinced that Ossetians and Georgians
can live peacefully as brothers and sisters in
Christ. When they begin to exchange shots, the
first to suffer from this are innocent people,
women and children. Unfortunately, that has
already happened in the course of the current
conflict. There is a danger of the intensification
of bloodshed by many times.
People have come to a dangerous boundary beyond
which lie death and destruction. It is necessary
to halt in front of it. It is my profound
conviction that it is necessary to cease
immediately all military actions and to return to
a responsible dialogue, since it is known that
thanks to the agreements achieved over the course
of twelve years in this region they have managed
to preserve peace and calm. Ossetian and Georgian
peoples profess the one Orthodox faith and it is
impermissible that brothers in faith arm
themselves against each other. In the words of
sacred scripture, "let us seek to pursue peace"
(Rm. 14.19)
I lift up prayers to God for the establishment of
peace in the region of hostilities. May the Lord
send wisdom to both sides of the conflict. I
sorrow along with the wounded and those who have
lost loved ones. I implore the responsible law
enforcement and peacekeeping forces not to permit
yet more victims.
The Russian Orthodox church appeals to politicians
and military personnel: do not permit the spread
of fratricide. Cease fire. Protect innocent
people.
Alexis
Patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus
(tr. by PDS, posted 18 August 2004)
METROPOLITAN OF GEORGIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH ISSUES
OPEN LETTER TO PATRIARCH ALEXIS II
(Blagovest-info ,
17 August 2004) - Metropolitan of West Europe
Avraam Garmeliia (Georgian Orthodox church) issued
an open letter on the declaration of Patriarch
Alexis II of Moscow and all-Rus that was made in
connection "with the escalation of military
actions in South Ossetia." In the metropolitan's
opinion, the statement of the primate of the
Russian Orthodox church "evokes amazement and
poses a number of questions."
"The declaration sets aside the fact that he is
talking about a conflict situation on the
territory of the sovereign Georgian state, located
within the canonical jurisdiction of the
patriarchate of Georgia," the metropolitan affirms
in the open letter, published in the "24 hours"
newspaper. "The declaration pursues the goal of
maintaining the situation that has evolved and the
impossibility of a just resolution
of this conflict that was inspired and organized
by Russia."
Metropolitan Avraam proposes that Alexis II answer
several questions.
"Why have you, Your Holiness, not issued similar
peacemaking initiatives and declarations when
under the leadership of Russian politicians and
military leaders with the active participation of
the 'Orthodox Russian host' genocide and ethnic
cleansing of the Georgian people were carried out
in Abkhasia and the so-called South Ossetia? After
all, Georgian Orthodox people were victims of
genocide and ethnic cleansing.
"Why have you permitted participation by the
Russian Orthodox church in increasing tensions in
regions of conflict, creating there anti-Georgian
attitudes?
"Why have you permitted the priest V. Pili to
concelebrate with you, who, as you know, is not
subordinate to any legal church authority. For
which actions did he receive the support and
awards of the Russian church?
"What kind of peace and calm over the course of
twelve years can one speak about when actually a
part of the territory of Georgia was annexed and
hundreds of thousands of refugees have not been
able to return to their homes as the result of the
aggressive policy of the Russian state and the
capitulationist policies of Eduard Shevardnadze?"
In the author's opinion, "The Ossetian and
Georgian peoples have not armed themselves against
each other. What has occurred is a conflict
between the aggressive imperial policy of Russia
and the state interests of sovereign Georgia."
"The only thing I would wish for my motherland is
the removal of Russia from the resolution of
conflicts on the territory of Georgia, which for
two centuries now has suffered from the hostile
policies of the Russian state and Russian Orthodox
church," Metropolitan Avraam says in concluding
his appeal to Patriarch Alexis II.
As reported earlier, the patriarch declared that
it is necessary to cease immediately all military
actions and to return to a responsible dialogue.
In his declaration the primate of the Russian
Orthodox church called politicians and military
leaders not to permit the spread of fratricide, to
cease fire, and to protect innocents. (tr. by PDS,
posted 18 August 2004)
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