Kock: Alles tun für friedliche Beilegung des Irakkonfliktes

Bei seinem Besuch im Libanon hat sich der Ratsvorsitzende der Evangelischen Kirche in Deutschland (EKD), Präses Manfred Kock, gemeinsam mit dem Patriarchen der Armenischen Apostolischen Kirche, Aram I. Keshishian, gegen ein militärisches Vorgehen im Irak ausgesprochen. "Krieg kann nicht zu Gerechtigkeit, Frieden und Verständigung führen", so die beiden Kirchenführer in ihrer Erklärung. Stattdessen erzeuge Krieg neue Probleme mit weitreichenden Auswirkungen. Die internationale Gemeinschaft müsse alles tun, um dieses Problem friedlich zu lösen. Zugleich müsse die irakische Regierung den Forderungen des UN-Sicherheitsrates nachkommen.

Die angespannte Situation in Israel und in den besetzten Gebieten habe eine "menschliche Tragödie" erzeugt. "Wir sind davon überzeugt, dass die Besetzung der palästinensischen Territorien sowie alle Formen der Gewalt umgehen gestoppt werden sollten." Israel und Palästina hätten das Recht, als separate und souveräne Staaten in Sicherheit und Frieden nebeneinander zu existieren. Es sei unerlässlich, dass Friedensverhandlungen auf der Basis der UN-Resolutionen und bisheriger Vereinbarungen unverzüglich wieder aufgenommen würden.

Manfred Kock und Aram I. sprechen sich für eine Verstärkung des christlich-islamischen Dialogs aus. Der Nahe Osten hätte eine lange Geschichte der friedlichen und respektvollen christlich-muslimischen Koexistenz. Diese Erfahrung müsse erneuert und mit anderen Weltreligionen geteilt werden.

Hannover, den 13. Februar 2003
Pressestelle der EKD
Silke Fauzi

Hinweis: Die Armenische Apostolische Kirche (AAK) hat weltweit rund sieben Millionen Mitglieder, davon leben etwa 35000 Menschen in Deutschland. Aram I. Keshishian ist eines ihrer geistlichen Oberhäupter. In Deutschland werden die Gemeinden von Bischof Karekin Bekdjian geleitet. Seit 1962 ist die AAK Mitglied im Ökumenischen Rat der Kirchen (ÖRK). Auf der Vollversammlung des ÖRK 1998 in Harare ist Aram I. Keshishian zum zweiten Mal zum Vorsitzenden des Zentralausschusses des ÖRK gewählt worden.

Auf den folgenden Seiten finden Sie die Erklärung im Wortlaut.

Joint Declaration between
His Grace Praeses Manfred Kock and His Holiness Aram I
 
9, February 2003
Antelias, Lebanon
 
We give thanks to our common Lord Jesus Christ for granting us this opportunity to pray together and to reflect together on issues of mutual concern at the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia, in Antelias, Lebanon.
 
Fraternal relations have always existed between the Evangelical Church in Germany (Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland) and the Catholicosate of Cilicia of the Armenian Orthodox Church. These relations have been deepened through ecumenical collaboration, visitations and encounters, in Germany, in Lebanon and elsewhere, by the representatives of our Churches. Our meeting in Antelias will further enhance our ecumenical collaboration between our Churches and strengthen their common commitment to the visible unity of the church.
 
The World Council of Churches has provided our Churches with the context and the opportunity to broaden our ecumenical dialogue and togetherness on the global level. Our Churches have been mutually enriched, spiritually, ecumenically and theologically, through the World Council of Churches and ecumenical movement at large. Our Churches have also made significant contributions to the growth of the ecumenical movement. We strongly believe that, in view of the new challenges and concerns facing the Christian faith, our Churches need to reaffirm their engagement in the ecumenical cause, by redefining and reassessing the vocation of the World Council of Churches in the context of the globalized world.
 
The present world with its great achievements particularly in the areas of science, technology and economy is offering new opportunities to humanity. It is also creating critical problems for the churches, such as the decay of moral and spiritual values, the emergence of inter-ethnic and inter-religious tensions, the resurgence of religious fundamentalism and increasing spread of violence, poverty, discrimination and injustice. The churches are called to respond to these problems by reclaiming their prophetic role and their diaconal and evangelistic mission with renewed vigor and vision.
 
As we meet today in Antelias, Lebanon, we cannot remain silent toward the prevailing situation in Palestine and Iraq.
 
The latest developments in the occupied territories have jeopardized the peace process and created a deep humanitarian tragedy. We strongly believe that the occupation of the Palestinian territories as well as violence in all its forms and manifestations should stop immediately. Both Israel and Palestine have the right to exist as two separate and neighbor states in security and in peace. It is vitally important, therefore, that peaceful negotiations immediately resume on the basis of United Nations Security Council resolutions and agreements signed by the Israelis and Palestinians.
 
The continuing military threat against Iraq remains for us a source of great concern. War cannot establish justice, peace and reconciliation. Rather it creates more problems with far reaching repercussions. Therefore, the international community must do its utmost to solve this problem peacefully, and the Iraqi government should comply with the decisions of the United Nations Security Council.
 
 Inter-faith dialogue has become an urgent necessity in pluralist societies. The Middle East has a long and rich history of Christian-Muslim co-existence based on mutual respect and trust. We believe that a renewed and comprehensive expression must be given to Christian-Muslim dialogue and co-existence in the Middle East, and this experience must be shared with other regions.
 
The Evangelical Church in Germany, through bilateral collaboration and dialogue, as well as through the Middle East Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches, has always manifested its solidarity and partnership with the churches in the region. We will continue our ecumenical partnership as we deepen our commitment to the unity of the Church, and rearticulate our common vocation at this critical point of history.
 
We pray to the Almighty God to grant peace with justice and reconciliation to the whole world and particularly to the Middle East. 
 

Praeses Manfred Kock 
President of Evangelische Kirche  in Deutschland

Aram I
Catholicos of Cilicia