CDA ADDRESSES ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE/APPEAL OF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 001957

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL TU
SUBJECT: CDA ADDRESSES ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE/APPEAL OF
CONSCIENCE TOLERANCE CONFERENCE


This message is sensitive but unclassified-- not for internet
distribution.


1. (U) Summary: he Ecumenical Patriarchate and Rabbi
Arthur Schnier's Appeal of Conscience Foundation hosted a
cnference in Istanbul November 7-9, bringing togethr
religious and other leaders from the Balkans, Cntrl sia
nd th Cacasus, as well as Greece' Mnste o Edcaion
and Religious Affairs, fo n ntefath dialogue to promote
peace and tolrance. GOT's Directorate of Religious Affairs
Cairman Ali Bardakoglu told the opening session that
violence is not justified in the name of any relgion, and
called for a sincere dialogue between eligions. Charge also
delierd remarks, challnging the use of the phrase "slmic
terorsm, and r
aying greetings from reidet ush n a
joint declaration, participants condemned those who engage in
terrorism and called upon all religious leaders to speak out
forcefully against them. End summary.


2. (U) The November 7-9 conference brought together
approximately 60 representatives of the Christian, Islamic
and Jewish faiths from the Balkans, the Caucasus, and Central
Asia to continue a discssion begun three decades ago among
the major mootheistic religions about how to promote peace
ad tolerance in the region. Also in attendance wer
representatives of Prince Hassan of Jordan, the nited
Nations, and the European Union. Many hadparticipated in a
1994 conference organized by te same sponsors, at the same
Istanbul venue, at time when conflicts in the former
Yugoslavia an Nagorno-Karabakh were raging, and presenters
strssed that these channels of interfaith communicatin had
since contributed to civil society developent and
reconciliation efforts.

Hosts WelcomeParticipants
--------------


3. U) His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomw I
welcomed the gathering with a holiday greetig to mark the
end of Ramadan. Calling on religius leaders to not
"vest...personal views in a gament of divine descent," he
underscored the needfor different religions to search for
the common round that exists in all their scriptures. He
tanked the Turkish Republic for giving permission fr the
conference and for the participation of th Directorate of
Religious Affairs Chairman Ali Brdakoglu.


4. (U) In his remarks, Rabbi Schneie recounted watching
his synagogue burn as a chil in Vienna during Kristallnacht,
an event which led to his strong support for the UN
Declaration against the intentional desecration of religious
buildings. He added his wish that the conference look at
issues relating to education, to ensure that textbooks not
become "the fodder of warlords." He called on participants to
continue to speak out forcefully against those who use
religion to contribute to the incitement of violence. Rabbi
Schneier praised the recent "Alliance of Civilizations"
initiative launched by PM Erdogan and Spain's PM Zapatero at
the 60th anniversary of the United Nations, and called for an
"Inter-Religious Alliance of Civilizations" to be formed on
that model.

Diyanet Chairman Bardakoglu
--------------


5. (U) Representing the Turkish government, Professor
Bardakoglu offered a prayer for victims of recent natural
disasters before addressing the man-made challenges facing
the world, including war and conflict. These challenges
require concrete action, he said, including the establishment
of dialog between religions and cultures. He stressed that
violence is not justified in the name of any religion, adding
that terror had social, economic and political dimensions.
He asked that the dialog be sincere, saying it was the duty
of religious leaders to warn and enlighten political leaders
to maintain this multi-cultural and multi-religious dialog.

Charge: Terrorism Has No Religion
--------------


6. (U) Following the three opening presentations, CDA
addressed the gathering, stressing the single purpose of all
those gathered for the event: to show solidarity and
conviction that tolerance is the path to peace. In her
remarks, she underlined that terrorism has no religion, no
national cause, and no belief that can justify its violence.
She challenged the use of the phrase "Islamic terrorism," as
it creates a wrong and dangerous perception of an inherent
connection between Islam and terror. CDA praised Turkey as a
vibrant, secular democracy well suited for hosting such a
gathering, though she also noted the need for further
progress in expanding religious tolerance and resolving
outstanding disputes. She also relayed greetings to the
conference from President Bush, while commending Rabbi
Schneier for his broad vision.


7. (U) After the opening greetings and salutations the
evening of November 7, conference participants met in working
groups for two days before producing a conference declaration
on November 9. The conference was held amid heavy security,
with police forces present in droves, and passed without
incident. Media carried the event -- including Charge's
message of solidarity and President Bush's greetings --
widely.


8. (U) Comment: This conference sent a clear message that
religious leaders must condemn acts of violence carried out
in the name of a religion -- any religion. To have such a
regionally and denominationally diverse group agree on a
three-page text is no easy feat, yet eleven years after
producing the first "Bosphorus Declaration" at the Appeal's
Peace and Tolerance I conference, Rabbi Schneier and the
Ecumenical Patriarch were again able to bring together
religious leaders committed to public expressions of
interfaith dialogue and harmony. The conference was
successful in reaffirming the role religious leaders can play
in promoting peace and tolerance in the world today. End
comment.
JONES