Directions to Orthodoxy - Christianity strengthens EU relations with Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova

A photo is taken of an informal summit of the leaders of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Moscow, Friday, Feb. 22, 2008. This post has been viewed 366 times.

In photo

From left, Presidents, Ilham Aliev of Azerbaijan, Robert Kocharian of Armenia, Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, Mikhail Saakashvili of Georgia, Kurmanbek Bakiyev of Kyrgyzstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, Vladimir Voronin of Moldova, Vladimir Putin of Russia, Emomali Rakhmon of Tajikistan, Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov of Turkmenistan, Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan, Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine and unidentified official pose for a picture at the informal summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) leaders in Moscow, Friday, Feb. 22, 2008. President Vladimir Putin on Friday presented his chosen successor, First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, to leaders of other ex-Soviet nations, promising to maintain his course. (AP Photo/Yuri Kochetkov, Pool)

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· Russian Church Head Equates Europe's Loss of Christian Roots to Signing 'Death Warrant'

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Christianity strengthens EU relations with Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova - Alexy II
Posted on Thu Feb 28 2008

Interfax

Moscow, February 28, Interfax - The Commonwealth of Independent States' European countries must not be passive onlookers in the European processes, Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia said.

"I am convinced that the Christian heritage and its presence in the life of society can provide a solid foundation for relations between Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova on the one hand and the European Union on the other," Alexy II said during talks with President of the European People's Party Wilfred Martens at the St. Daniel's monastery in Moscow.

The patriarch said that the Orthodox peoples of these states "cannot and do not deem it possible to merely remain onlookers in the processes in Europe, but, guided by their own historical and cultural traditions, must play their role in strengthening the Christian values in the European Union."

Alexy II also welcomed the aspiration of the European People's Party, which unites Europe's Christian democratic parties at a pan-European level "to work on the basis of Christian values."

"This approach can only be welcomed by our Church," Alexy II said.

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