Agreement Signed, but, Problems Remain

Rally against proposed US radar site in Czech Republic

A massive petition campaign demanding a referendum on the question of the stationing of a US ABM radar site near Prague is underway in the Czech Republic. The government ignored public opinion and signed an agreement with the American administration to allow the construction of a radar site 50 kilometres from Prague. But, the signing of the agreement has not put an end to the argument about an American military presence in the Czech Republic. (65 percent of Czechs oppose the radar per AP. Bush embraces democracy? I think not…: editor’s note)

The government of Miroslav Topolanek believes it is to its credit that the US chose Prague as one of the sites of the American global ABM defence system. They scorned the opinion of their NATO allies that a decision on such a highly sensitive issue should have been taken at a European level. But, the ruling coalition in Prague countered this by saying that their ties with America were more important, and that, sooner or later, European states will be sucked into an American ABM system in any case.

Russia’s concerns that a US defence system poses a threat to global stability and to its national security were seen as a manifestation of imperialism. The Czech Republic shall get an ABM shield to protect it against notional missile attacks from Iran and North Korea, as well as against a hypothetical Russian attack. But, independent experts, including those inside the Czech Republic, have poured scorn on this argument, saying the belief that the American ABM defence system will protect the whole of Europe against a likely attack is misguided.

Jan Dolezal, a security expert, said, “We were assured that the radar will protect Europe against ballistic missiles from Iran and North Korea. I would say, concerning North Korea, the argument does not even deserve discussion. As for Iran, we should remember that America encouraged Saddam Hussein to make war on Tehran, turning Iran into an adversary, perhaps, unwittingly. As a result, there is no love lost between America and Iran. America has done nothing to make amends for that blunder, and it is still not ready to cooperate with Tehran. To a large extent, the building of the ABM radar site is a continuation of such US hostility towards Iran”.

The Czech Republic government does not have a majority in parliament, so, the ABM defence system agreement remains to be ratified. Hence, discussion could last until autumn, and stretch into the time of the American presidential election.

15 July 2008

Aleksandr Vatutin

Voice of Russia World Service

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29699&cid=58&p=15.07.2008

Orthodox Pickets Protested the Start of NATO Exercises in Odessa

Patriotic Ukrainian Orthodox organisations picketed the opening of the “Sea Breeze 2008” NATO military manoeuvres in Odessa. Activists from “United Fatherland”, “Rus”, and “A Free Choice”, and representatives from the Russian communities of the Crimea gathered in front of the Officer’s Club in Odessa, where the official opening ceremony took place. The protestors carried anti-NATO placards and passed out copies of the Orthodox newspaper Pravoslavny Telegraf (Orthodox Telegraph). The demonstrators lined the route that the buses with NATO personnel had to pass, and their signs read, “Get out, NATO!” “We’re not Yankees, we’re Slavs, Russians are our brothers!” “Real Odessa people don’t want NATO in their house!” “That’s how it’s going to be, those taking part in the manoeuvres shall have to withstand anti-NATO placards and speeches as they go to the training grounds. It’s obvious that the organisers couldn’t isolate the NATO troops from the fired-up Ukrainian people”, Valery Kaurov, the head of the Ukrainian Union of Orthodox Citizens and one of the organisers of the protest, said to our Interfax-Religion correspondent. On the eve of the manoeuvres, more than 80 members of patriotic anti-NATO defence groups led a waterborne “raid” off the coast of Odessa with 15 boats decorated with flags and placards. Kaurov said that a large number of people on holiday at the beach greeted the “raiders” with gusto. The Orthodox protestors are going to set up tent camps near military training grounds near the Black Sea. Protestors shall picket all areas of the Sea Breeze 2008 manoeuvres.

15 July 2008

Interfax-Religion

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=25468

Editor’s Note:

Ura! The real people are rising. America had best understand that only a tiny minority of Orange fanatics and Galician Uniates support them. Everyone else wants them off the soil of the rodina. America has no business interfering in the affairs of the Orthodox civilisation, in any case. Why don’t they go against true monsters like those in the Sudan or Zimbabwe? That would actually do the world some good. “Democracy?” No, thank you, very much. We have our own ways, and we prefer them to yours. America hasn’t stood the test of time, and it has no right to lecture others older and wiser than they are.

BMD

Archbishop Mark, Bishop Diomid’s Replacement, Presented his Documents in the Presence of the Police

Bishop Diomid Dzyuban of Anadyr and Chukotka (1961- ), he has taken to flight after the rightful bishop arrived. Where, oh, where, did my little dog go? I say, good riddance to bad rubbish. Time to take out the trash!

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On Tuesday, Archbishop Mark Tuzhikov of Khabarovsk and Priamursky presented his documentation as locum tenems of the Diocese of Anadyr and Chukotka at the diocesan offices. “The transfer of documents took place in the presence of the police, a condition insisted upon by the supporters of Bishop Diomid Dzyuban, the former diocesan ordinary”, said Hieromonk Agafangel Belykh, who arrived in Chukotka with Archbishop Mark, to our Interfax-Religion correspondent. He said that the numbers of the supporters of Bishop Diomid present were not numerous, only some 10 to 15 people, but, “they created a very tense atmosphere for Archbishop Mark and those who came with him from the airport. For some reason, they refuse to have any contact with us, and they leave if we are present. For example, during the transfer of documentation, they sat with us in the same room, but they said not a word”. In like manner, he added, Bishop Diomid categorically refuses to have any contact with Archbishop Mark. Diomid has taken flight to the northern part of his diocese.

15 July 2008

Interfax-Religion

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=25480

Editor’s Note:

After all the Sturm und Drang, it ends with a whimper. When the real bishop showed up, Diomid took to his heels. Anadyr itself isn’t exactly a booming hub of civilisation. Where’s he now? In an igloo? I doubt that, for any native would’ve chased him out with a harpoon! Perhaps, he’s in a former outpost of the GULag, for such were numerous in that part of the world. How appropriate…

BMD

Patriarch Bartholomew Demands the Exclusion of Schismatics from the Celebrations of the Baptism of Russia

The Baptism of Russia

Viktor Vasnetsov

1896

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Representatives speaking for EP Patriarch Bartholomew Archontonis demanded the exclusion of the “hierarchs” of the so-called “Patriarchate of Kiev” from any of the events marking the 1,020th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia. This was reported in an article on the recent visit to Kiev of an official EP delegation posted on the official website of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church/MP by Archimandrite Kirill Govorun, the chairman of the Department of External Church Relations of the UOC/MP. The members of the Istanbul delegation remarked that Patriarch Bartholomew recognises Metropolitan Vladimir Sabodan of the UOC/MP as the sole canonical First Hierarch of the Ukraine. In addition, Fr Kirill wrote that, throughout the course of their Ukrainian visit, the EP delegation repeatedly emphasised that Patriarch Bartholomew would only participate in events in the company of Metropolitan Vladimir, and they demanded that schismatics be totally barred from taking part in them. Fr Kirill also wrote that consultations between the MP, EP, and UOC/MP resulted in an agreement concerning a liturgy to be held on Vladimirskoi Hill on 27 July to be served by Patriarch Aleksei Rediger, Patriarch Bartholomew, Metropolitan Vladimir, and the representatives of the other Local Orthodox Churches. On 28 July, the feastday of Grand Prince Equal-to-the-Apostles St Vladimir, a festal liturgy shall be served at the Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra led by Patriarch Aleksei of Moscow and all the Russias and assisted by Metropolitan Vladimir Sabodan of Kiev and all the Ukraine and the representatives of the other Local Orthodox Churches. Other main church figures known to be participants in the coming events are Archbishop Ieronymos Liapis of Athens and all Greece, Archbishop Anastasios Yannoulatos of Tirana and all Albania, and Metropolitan Kryštof Pulec of Czechia and Slovakia.

15 July 2008

Interfax-Religion

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=25459

Editor’s Note:

A complete volte-face on the part of the EP! One wonders… how did such a good result come about? My thought is that Fr Vsevolod Chaplin had a little prophylactic chat in Rome with Benedict, Black Bart’s paymaster. Since Benedict’s lusting after a meeting with His Holiness Aleksei, he’s not going let anyone stand in the way of such, especially not a pipsqueak hireling such as Bart with no flock. Philaret Denisenko gets the cardboard box. The Uniate Husar gets a cardboard box, too. Benedict deep-sixed both of ‘em to keep good relations with the MP (that’s Vatican policy, after all). Bartholomew has to eat crow supreme and SMILE. Yes, Virginia, there is a God… what a sense of humour he possesses! Yushchenko must not be long for this world, politically. His whole aim was to pump up Denisenko and use the EP as his weapon. Bartholomew may be a Roman hireling and mostly a heretic, but he’s also no one’s fool. If he’s toeing Moscow’s line, both Rome and Moscow know something, but, they’re keeping MUM.

BMD