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Russian Ambassador A.V.Konuzin in Gracanica: “Together with the Serbs, We are Defending International Law“

"In Kosovo and Metochia the Russian Federation is defending not only its Serbian friends - together with the Serbs, we are defending International Law and as long as the Serbs are defending their interests, Russia will be on their side'', said Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Vasilyevich Konuzin. He visited Gracanica today and on the occasion met with representatives of the Kosovo Serbs, to whom he expressed that Russia was having an absolutely clear and firm position on Kosovo, and that the solution to the Kosovo problem should be searched for exclusively within the decisions of the Security Council of the United Nations. "We believe that this is an unalienable part of Serbia. The solution to the problem of Kosovo should be searched for within the decisions of the Security Council of the United Nations, and these are within Resolution 1244. Any other steps represent a violation of International Law as well as a violation of the Charter of the United Nations'', Konuyin pointed out. Besides meeting representatives of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohia, the Russian Ambassador also had meetings with UNMIK leading officials and the commander of KFOR.

Source: KIM Radio

Putin: The Last Serbs are Being Driven Out from Kosovo

"The last Serbs are being driven out from Kosovo. I know what the situation is like there.There are no refugees coming back to Kosovo. And you can't guarantee them security and a civilized existence on that territory'', Vladimir Putin said in an interview to " Le Monde'', in occasion of his first visit to France as Prime Minister.

Mr. Putin reacted to a question related to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which the journalist called "separatis regions", by saying: "You said separatist? Why didn't you use this word about Kosovo?" "You cannot answer, and this is because you do not have an answer," Putin continued.

When the journalist remarked that "in Abkhazia, it was the Georgians who had been ethnically cleansed, while in Kosovo, the situation was quite the opposite since it was the Albanians that were exposed to this practice", Putin answered that the two things were "not at all opposite" and that "thousands of Serbs can't return to Kosovo. Hundreds of thousands. It's exactly the same. Where did you see refugees coming back to Kosovo? Nothing similar is happening" he continued. "Don't tell me stories, I know what is really going on there."

From: Lj. Milinčić

Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Alexy II met Cardinal Walter Kasper in Moscow

Head of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Cardinal Walter Kasper, presented a message by Pope of Rome Benedict XVI to Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Alexy II on Thursday. He told the Patriarch he was glad to meet him and to hand over the Pontiff's message. The cardinal also voiced hope that the meeting would promote further contacts between the Roman Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church. "The Orthodox-Catholic dialogue is necessary," Alexy II said. The two Churches have similar positions on many modern problems, among them morals, social and family relations, human rights and bio-ethics.

The Archbishop met Mr. Papandreou

His Beatitude the Archbishop of Athens and all Greece Hieronymus II met the president of PASOK, Mr. G. Papandreou, at his Parliament office. Their meeting lasted for more than an hour. After their meeting His Beatitude, referred to the collaboration he had with Mr. Papandreou as a Metropolite when Mr. Papandreou was the Minister of Education. He underlined that their collaboration was very fruitful. He also stated that he has recorded and continues to record the problems from the Church's point of view and added that the society and the Church will collaborate as far as culture and social welfare are concerned, since both the Church and society fight for man's wellbeing. He also stated that he was very satisfied with the conversation he had with Mr. Papandreou.

The Moscow Patriarchate believes missionary activities should be transparent

The Russian Orthodox Church is concerned that some missionaries don't observe the law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations as they conceal their confession, Interfax-Religion reports. "The Russian law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations clearly reads: "Name of the religious organization should contain information on its confession. Religious organization should indicate its full title when carrying out its activities," Vice-chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin writes in his Scraps essays published by the Pravoslavnaya Moskva paper.