The Final Document of the Conference on “The Holy Land and Russian-Palestinian Relations Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”
25.05.2001 · English, Архив 2000
THE FINAL DOCUMENT OF THE CONFERENCE
ON “THE HOLY LAND AND RUSSIAN-PALESTINIAN RELATIONS
YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW”
The Holy Land has a unique significance for the adherents of the three religions – Christianity, Islam and Judaism. For centuries they have lived in that land and visited it to venerate its ancient shrines. Among the pilgrims, there have been many pastors and faithful of the Russian Orthodox Church. Its presence in the Holy Land took shape 150 years ago when a Russian Ecclesiastical Mission was founded and did not cease even in the hard times of theomacistic persecution in Russia and hardships experienced by the Palestinian people. It is history that has predetermined that the Holy Land and Russia should have special bonds. At a time when the Arab people of Palestine are about to acquire the long-expected statehood, these bonds receive a new turn. The Russian Orthodox Church, Russian scholars and many public forces in Russia are ready to make all possible efforts to strengthen the traditionally good relations with the Holy Land.
Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church posses many plots of land and premises in Palestine. Since the Palestinian National Administration took control of the Palestinian territories, several plots of land have been returned to the Russian Government and the Russian Orthodox Church. Cooperation between the PNA and the Russian Church in this direction continues.
It is necessary to intensify and increase Russia’s traditional key presence in the peace process in the Middle East. The Conference emphasizes the need to determine the future of Jerusalem in accordance with the resolution adopted by the word community, since it has become ever more clear that without a settlement of this problem it is impossible to achieve a lasting peace with justice. Indeed, the Holy City should be turned into a city of peace. The issue of sovereign rule over Jerusalem should be resolved on the basis of international law, taking into account the interests of all religions and their historical traditions. The faithful should have free access to the shrines and freedom to perform religious rites. International guarantees are called to promote a special status of Jerusalem as a city open for all. It can become the capital city of two states without new barriers dividing them erected. The proposal that the world community should assume greater responsibility for peace, law and order and harmonious coexistence of all the ethnic religious communities in Jerusalem is noteworthy.
Churches and other communities of believers, both those living in the Holy Land and those who have been tied with it for centuries, are capable of becoming additional guarantors of the above-mentioned status. They should show an example of effective desire of peaceful coexistence and cooperation between different ethnic and cultural communities existing in Jerusalem. It is important therefore that dialogue should be maintained between the participants in the Middle East peace process and the religious and public circles concerned.
Religious leaders, politicians and scholars who have gathered for this conference call upon the participants in the peace process to intensify their search for ways of resolving the existing problems in accordance with the will of the world community and on the basis of agreements signed by the parties and respect for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and independent state. This would be a guarantee of peace, stability and security for all peoples in the region. The participants in the Conference express their profound concern for the recent bloodshed in the Holy Land, in which Palestinian civilians have been killed and which was provoked by an open challenge to the religious and national sentiments of the Palestinian people. We urge to check the wave of violence and stop all hostilities. It also appears beneficial to undertake an authoritative analysis of the recent clashes and their causes under the aegis of the world community. After the violence is stopped the dialogue should be resumed to achieve a lasting peace with justice. May those inhabiting the blessed Holy Land realize their right to live in harmony and security, according to their free will, traditions and aspirations.
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