Gość: mirmat
IP: *.dialup.eol.ca
02.06.02, 07:19
Czy ktorys z Europejskich politykierow zdobylby sie na odwage Prezydenta Busha
by poswiecic krotkoterminowe interesy w imie zasad? Marna szansa by jakikolwiek
dyplomata Szwabski, Zabojadzki czy nawet Wloski bedac w Moskwie mogl patrzec
dalej poza sprawami dostawy ropy.
Na szczescie dla Katolikow w Rosji przywodca Wolnego Swiata jest Prezydent
Stanow Zjednoczonych Ameryki a nie jakis petak rzadzacy Francja czy Niemcami.
Nie baczac jak bardzo potrzebne jest dla Ameryki wsparcie Rosji w walce z
teroryzmem Prezydent Bush osobiscie odwiedzil arcybiskupa katolickiego Moskwy
Tadeusza Kondrusiewicza by przedyskutowac ostatnie akcje prawoslawia przeciw
katolikom. Oto reportarz na ten temat:
June 1, 2002
Bush, cleric discuss Russia's Catholics
By Marie Czernin
SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES
During his visit to Moscow last week, President Bush held an unexpected
private meeting with Russian Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz to acknowledge
the difficulties facing the country's Catholic Church and discuss the
importance of preserving religious freedom.
"Someone ... told me that the president wanted to meet with me privately,"
said Archbishop Kondrusiewicz, still visibly moved by his unexpected encounter
with the president.
"When President Bush entered the room, his first words were: 'You are in
trouble?' I understood immediately that he had been informed about the present
situation of the Catholic Church in Russia," the archbishop said outside of
Spaso House, the residence of the American ambassador, where he talked with a
reporter about the church's troubles for the first time.
In his talk with the archbishop, Mr. Bush stressed the importance of the
separation of church and the state, and said all religions should enjoy the
same rights.
Mr. Bush "made it clear that these rights are not based on a simple human
law, but that this law had been entrusted by God," said the archbishop, who
said he was struck by how well the president was informed about difficulties
facing Catholics and other religious minorities in Russia.
Archbishop Kondrusiewicz mentioned two leaders, Bishop Mazur of the
Diocese in South Siberia and Italian priest Stefano Caprio, both of whom have
been expelled from Russia.
Mr. Bush expressed concern about the developments and offered his
help. "President Bush did promise me that he would raise the issue of religious
freedom with President Putin."
He was grateful to have met with Mr. Bush, but the archbishop lamented the
fact that Mr. Putin has never received him privately. "I have written already
several letters to Putin, but I have never received a reply from him, nor could
I meet with him personally."
Other participants in the Moscow gathering complimented Mr. Bush's speech.
"It was very interesting that President Bush compared Russia to the United
States when he was talking about the values of democracy," said Abraham
Berkowitz, president of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Russia. "He
talked about it without accusing Russia, but by encouraging Russia to go
forward on its path to democracy."
Mr. Berkowitz recalled the president's comments on freedom of the press in
a democracy. In his speech Mr. Bush had said, "I remind those who sometimes get
frustrated with the media that, even in America, elected officials sometimes
don't agree with what's written about them. But it is important for those of us
who value democracy to promote an independent media."
The Rev. Marcel Guarnizo, president of Aid to the Church in Russia of
Great Falls, was in Moscow during the presidential visit and expressed his
gratitude for the meeting.
"By singling out the archbishop, the president showed his appreciation of
the positive role played by the Catholic Church in Russia," Father Guarnizo
said. "Religious freedom is a basic human right, and for President Bush to
promote it so publicly, yet again, is a great help to those of us working in
countries where that right was repressed for so long."
