BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

20/06/2008

Belarus Hopes Vatican Will Help Its Ties With West

Reuters

`The Catholic church recognises Belarus's mission as a bridge between East and West and is ready to help smooth over these relations.`

Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Friday he hoped a visit by the Vatican's second-ranking official would help improve his country's relations with the West.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, met the president during a five-day stay in the ex-Soviet state accused in the West of crushing freedom of speech and assembly.

"Many today, including some in the opposition and forces in neighbouring countries, portray your visit as a bid by Belarus's leaders to smooth ties with Western Europe with the help of the Catholic church," Lukashenko told the cardinal.

"Our dialogue with the Catholic church has been proceeding for years. But if Belarus's relations with Europe improve as a result of your visit and our contacts, this is to be welcomed."

Bertone is the first senior Vatican official to visit the country lying between Russia and three European Union members. The Orthodox Church is predominant, but Roman Catholics account for about 14 percent of 10 million residents.

The cardinal told Lukashenko the Vatican was willing to help Belarus find its place in Europe.

"The Catholic church recognises Belarus's mission as a bridge between East and West and is ready to help smooth over these relations," he said.

"The Catholic church will always strive to ensure that Belarus has its own, significant place in international terms."

In talks with the head of the Orthodox church and state officials, Bertone praised good relations between different faiths and "the way freedom of religion is being upheld".

Belarus has endured little of the animosity between Orthodoxy and Catholicism that has bedevilled ties in neighbouring Russia.

Holidays of both faiths are officially observed and thousands attended a mass conducted by Pope Benedict in March and beamed into the country's largest cathedral. But no one during the current talks has mentioned a papal visit to Minsk.

Benedict's predecessor, John Paul, visited several ex-Soviet states, but opposition from Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexiy II kept him away from Russia. Alexiy accuses Catholics of poaching parishioners and claiming property, especially in Ukraine.

Lukashenko describes himself as an "Orthodox atheist" and has overseen the conclusion of an accord recognising Orthodoxy as the country's main faith.

But he is barred from the United States and EU. Belarus asked the U.S. ambassador to leave in March and ordered cuts in the size of embassy staff.

The United States and EU make resumed dialogue contingent on the release of an opposition figure jailed for helping stage protests against Lukashenko's contested re-election in 2006.

"We have absolutely no objection to improving relations with Europe and the United States," Lukashenko told the cardinal.

"But we are a sovereign, independent state and will allow no one to interfere in our affairs."

Source:

http://www.javno.com/en/world/clanak.php?id=157805

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