His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II sends messages to the UN General Secretary and the US President

HIS HOLINESS PATRIARCH ALEXY II SENDS MESSAGES TO THE UN GENERAL SECRETARY AND THE US PRESIDENT

Today, on 26 March 1999, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia, sent messages to Mr.Kofi Anna, Secretary General of the United Nations Organisation, and to Mr.William Clinton, President of the USA, in connection with air- and missile-strikes by the NATO military contingent on the territory of the Union Republic of Yugoslavia.

The messages say in particular:
‘It was with pain that I learnt of the air-strikes of NATO against military and civilian targets in the Union Republic of Yugoslavia. The attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church to this action, that we consider unlawful and unjust, is expressed in my Statement of 24 March 1999, and my Appeal of 25 March 1999, the texts of which are enclosed.

His Holiness underlined that the world order of the 21st century, the future of Europe and all humanity largely depend on the outcome of these dramatic days.
The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church called to do anything possible to stop the bloodshed.

His Holiness the Patriarch expressed his conviction in that ‘only peaceful means of resolving the problem of Kosovo will bring real benefit to the inhabitants of this region and all the Balkan region. The suppression of the will of a whole nation will never bring a lasting peace, but, on the contrary, will create the danger of multiple escalation and continuation of the conflict.