On Tue, 1 Jun 1999 14:12:14 +0200, you wrote:
Uddrag af pressemeddelelse om Kirkernes Verdensråds konsultation
i Budapest om Kosovo-konflikten, den slutter med en række principper om
>forhandling, forsoning og løsning af problemerne samt aktionsforslag:
>
>Jørgen Madsen
...: interchurch@folkekirken.dk (Det mellemkirkelige Raad)
>>Subject: Kosovo meeting
>...
>>Please find below the final version of the communique which came out of
>>the meeting in Budapest on Kosovo. The meeting went very well. Thank you
>>for having sent Karsten Fledelius, ...
>>
>>Hubert
>>
>>
>>World Council of Churches
>>Press Update
>>27 May 1999
>>
>>CONSULTATION ON THE CHURCHES AND THE CRISIS
>>IN THE BALKANS
>>Budapest, Hungary, 26*27 May 1999
>>
>>c.f. WCC press release of 21 May 1999
>>
>>Over 40 church leaders and representatives from Eastern and Western Europe
>>as well as from North America met in Budapest, Hungary, from 26 to 27 May
>>to discuss the churches' response to the crisis in the Balkans region.
>>Representatives of the churches in the Federal Republic Yugoslavia
>>(Lutheran, Methodist, Reformed and Serbian Orthodox churches) participated
>>in the meeting.
>>
>>The consultation was jointly organized by the World Council of Churches
>>(WCC) and the Conference of European Churches (CEC) in cooperation with
>>the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the World Alliance of Reformed
>>Churches (WARC), and was hosted by the Ecumenical Council of Churches in
>>Hungary. The consultation benefitted from the presence of a representative
>>of the Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE). The international
>>ecumenical organizations have taken several initiatives in response to the
>>crisis, including the sending of delegations to the Federal Republic of
>>Yugoslavia, to Albania and to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
>>
>>The main purposes of the consultation were:
>>* To exchange information on the churches' actions and statements in
>>response to the crisis in the Balkans;
>>* To engage in a dialogue aimed at a better understanding of the different
>>perceptions and positions of the churches;
>>* To discuss the churches' role and witness in response to the crisis and
>>in promoting peace.
>>
>>The consultation shared in the widespread international concern about the
>>escalation of the conflict and the reports of massive human rights
>>violations in Kosovo, the devastating impact of the NATO airstrikes and
>>the tragic effects on the civilian population, and the plight of almost a
>>million refugees from Kosovo.
>>
>>The consultion recognized the complex historical roots of the crisis, and
>>the different perceptions of the nature of the conflict and of the
>>immediate causes of the massive exodus of Kosovar Albanians.
>>
>>In a context of renewed division and hostilities in Europe, the church
>>representatives expressed their commitment to staying together in prayer
>>and in solidarity. In this situation the churches should seek common
>>Christian witness and action by affirming the following principles:
>>* To recognize the fundamental and urgent priority of negotiations as the
>>only basis for a durable solution to the crisis, and to urge the parties
>>to use all possible opportunities to end hostilities.
>>* To support initiatives which foster a peaceful and lasting resolution of
>>the conflict, and which recognize the equal rights of all nationalities
>>and ethnic groups to co*exist within the same territory.
>>* To promote the guaranteed right of return and security of all those
>>displaced by the conflict.
>>* To recognize and promote the central role of the United Nations and the
>>OSCE in any negotiated solution to the crisis.
>>* To contribute to the process of reconciliation and rehabilitation of
>>communities.
>>* To support efforts to render justice to all victims of the conflict.
>>* To continue the response to the humanitarian needs of all those affected
>>by the crisis, through WCC/LWF ACT*Action By Churches Together and local
>>churches and partners.
>>
>>The consultation recognized the need for further dialogue and discussion
>>of the following issues: * The concept of "just war" and the means of
>>peaceful resolution of conflict.
>>* The competing claims of national sovereignty and of humanitarian
>>intervention.
>>* The relationship between religion, identity, territory and nation.
>>* The role which national contexts, minority/majority status and history
>>play in the formation of perceptions.
>>* The identification and nature of reliable sources of information and its
>>accurate dissemination.
>>
>>Follow*up and possible future actions:
>>* The consultation recognized that the crisis affects the entire region of
>>Southeastern Europe. A lasting solution will be furthered decisively if
>>the national, ethnic, cultural and historical features can be brought
>>into the process of European integration. In particular, the Orthodox
>>tradition must be acknowledged as an integral part of the European
>>heritage.
>>* A special expectation for follow*up focuses on the Conference of
>>European Churches. In particular, cooperation with the CCEE and other
>>appropriate Roman Catholic partners can be strengthened in response to the
>>regional challenges. The framework of cooperation with the churches and
>>ecumenical organizations in North America should also be reinforced,
>>drawing on the experience of the churches' human rights programme.
>>* The creation of new instruments for a Christian response at the
>>Southeastern Europe level should be seriously considered in order to
>>generate and nurture a future*oriented approach, emphasizing preventive
>>action, education, interreligious dialogue and building on existing and
>>new networks within civil society.*
>>*
>>
>>
>>**********
>>The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of 336 churches, in more
>>than 100 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian
>>traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works
>>cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the Assembly,
>>which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally
>>inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its staff is headed by
>>general secretary Konrad Raiser from the Evangelical Church in Germany.
>>
>>
>>World Council of Churches
>>Media Relations Office
>>Tel: (41.22) 791.61.53 / 791.64.21
>>Fax: (41.22) 798.13.46
>>E*Mail: ka@wcc*coe.org
>>http://www.wcc*coe.org
>>
>>P.O. Box 2100
>>CH*1211 Geneva 2
>>