wfn.org | Resolution affirms EU opening to the East

[FRANK_IMHOFF.parti@ecunet.org (FRANK IMHOFF)]

Protestant churches in Austria demand implementation of human right to
asylum

VIENNA, Austria/GENEVA, 23 November 1998 (lwi) - The Protestant churches
in Austria have affirmed their agreement to an opening of the European
Union (EU) to the East.

On 26 October, the synods of the Augsburg (A.C.) and the Helvetic
Confession (H.C.) adopted a joint resolution. The resolution entitled, Our
Europe, points out that a long common history precedes the extension of
the EU and underlines the responsibility Christians and the church have
for the world community and for creation. It is crucial "that human
rights, especially the freedom of religion and conscience and the
protection of minorities, are realized legally and in fact in all
countries of our Europe."

Among other things, the resolution urges that all persecution for
religious and ethnic reasons must stop and that the human right to asylum
be implemented: "Let us receive those who have fled in order to save their
lives and the lives of their children."

The paper continues to say that accession to the EU must be open to all
states in Europe. It admits that the borders and the rifts between
Europe's peoples are due to, among other things, the division of churches.

For this reason, Christians are called to seek reconciliation between the
churches and to enter into dialogue with people of other faith.

According to the Austrian Protestant press service (epd-O), numerous
representatives of churches in neighboring states were present at the
festive signing ceremony. They included Evangelical churches of the
Augsburg Confession in Poland, Romania, Slovenia, the Slovak Republic, the
Silesian Church of the A.C. in the Czech Republic, the Reformed churches
in the Slovak Republic, Romania, Hungary, the Church of Czech Brethren in
the Czech Republic, the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church and the
Lutheran Church in Hungary.

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