Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Lavrov notes unity of the Russian diplomacy and the Church in their striving to introduce moral values in global politics

23 January 2008

Moscow, January 22, Interfax - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov believes the Russian Orthodox Church and Russian diplomacy have been traditionally united with common purposes.

‘Work of Russian diplomats has been consonant with the aspirations of the Russian Orthodox Church for centuries,’ Lavrov said on Monday evening in the Church Councils hall of Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral at the annual awarding ceremony of the Orthodox Peoples' Unity Foundation.

According to Lavrov, these aspirations are in ‘striving to introduce moral seed in global politics’.

In awarding him in 2007 for contribution in the unity of Orthodox peoples, Lavrov sees ‘the recognition of Russian diplomat’s efforts in strengthening relations with the countries of Eastern Christian tradition and developing common humanitarian space in Europe.’

‘Common spiritual heritage has always been an efficient factor of closing in for Orthodox peoples while outside efforts to disturb this unity appeared unworkable,’ the foreign minister stressed.

He thinks that Russia’s relations with Orthodox countries especially with Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Serbia have reached new level. Lavrov underlined that Russia had always been in solidarity with Serbian people on the necessity to settle Kosovo’s problem ‘only on the basis of international law.’

‘Russian diplomacy highly appreciates peacemaking and charitable work of the Russian Orthodox Church abroad,’ Lavrov noted.

In conclusion, he revealed his intention to hand over his cash prize to an orphanage patronized
by the Foreign Ministry.

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