US embassy cable - 05ISTANBUL1957

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 001957 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PREL, TU, Istanbul 
SUBJECT: CDA ADDRESSES ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE/APPEAL OF 
CONSCIENCE TOLERANCE CONFERENCE 
 
 
This message is sensitive but unclassified-- not for internet 
distribution. 
 
1.  (U)  Summary:  he Ecumenical Patriarchate and Rabbi 
Arthur Schnier's Appeal of Conscience Foundation hosted a 
cnference in Istanbul November 7-9, bringing togethr 
religious and other leaders from the Balkans, Cntrl sia 
nd th Cacasus, as well as  Greece' Mnste o Edcaion 
and Religious Affairs, fo n ntefath dialogue to promote 
peace and tolrance.  GOT's Directorate of Religious Affairs 
Cairman Ali Bardakoglu told the opening session that 
violence is not justified in the name of any relgion, and 
called for a sincere dialogue between eligions.  Charge also 
delierd remarks, challnging the use of the phrase "slmic 
terorsm, and r 
aying greetings from reidet ush  n a 
joint declaration, participants condemned those who engage in 
terrorism and called upon all religious leaders to speak out 
forcefully against them.  End summary. 
 
2.  (U)  The November 7-9 conference brought together 
approximately 60 representatives of the Christian, Islamic 
and Jewish faiths from the Balkans, the Caucasus, and Central 
Asia to continue a discssion begun three decades ago among 
the major mootheistic religions about how to promote peace 
ad tolerance in the region.  Also in attendance wer 
representatives of Prince Hassan of Jordan, the nited 
Nations, and the European Union.  Many hadparticipated in a 
1994 conference organized by te same sponsors, at the same 
Istanbul venue, at  time when conflicts in the former 
Yugoslavia an Nagorno-Karabakh were raging, and presenters 
strssed that these channels of interfaith communicatin had 
since contributed to civil society developent and 
reconciliation efforts. 
 
Hosts WelcomeParticipants 
--------------------------- 
 
3.  U)  His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomw I 
welcomed the gathering with a holiday greetig to mark the 
end of Ramadan.  Calling on religius leaders to not 
"vest...personal views in a gament of divine descent," he 
underscored the needfor different religions to search for 
the common round that exists in all their scriptures.  He 
tanked the Turkish Republic for giving permission fr the 
conference and for the participation of th Directorate of 
Religious Affairs Chairman Ali Brdakoglu. 
 
4.  (U)  In his remarks, Rabbi Schneie recounted watching 
his synagogue burn as a chil in Vienna during Kristallnacht, 
an event which led to his strong support for the UN 
Declaration against the intentional desecration of religious 
buildings.  He added his wish that the conference look at 
issues relating to education, to ensure that textbooks not 
become "the fodder of warlords." He called on participants to 
continue to speak out forcefully against those who use 
religion to contribute to the incitement of violence.  Rabbi 
Schneier praised the recent "Alliance of Civilizations" 
initiative launched by PM Erdogan and Spain's PM Zapatero at 
the 60th anniversary of the United Nations, and called for an 
"Inter-Religious Alliance of Civilizations" to be formed on 
that model. 
 
Diyanet Chairman Bardakoglu 
--------------------------- 
 
5.  (U)  Representing the Turkish government, Professor 
Bardakoglu offered a prayer for victims of recent natural 
disasters before addressing the man-made challenges facing 
the world, including war and conflict.  These challenges 
require concrete action, he said, including the establishment 
of dialog between religions and cultures.  He stressed that 
violence is not justified in the name of any religion, adding 
that terror had social, economic and political dimensions. 
He asked that the dialog be sincere, saying it was the duty 
of religious leaders to warn and enlighten political leaders 
to maintain this multi-cultural and multi-religious dialog. 
 
Charge:  Terrorism Has No Religion 
---------------------------------- 
 
6.  (U)  Following the three opening presentations, CDA 
addressed the gathering, stressing the single purpose of all 
those gathered for the event:  to show solidarity and 
conviction that tolerance is the path to peace.  In her 
remarks, she underlined that terrorism has no religion, no 
national cause, and no belief that can justify its violence. 
She challenged the use of the phrase "Islamic terrorism," as 
it creates a wrong and dangerous perception of an inherent 
connection between Islam and terror.  CDA praised Turkey as a 
vibrant, secular democracy well suited for hosting such a 
gathering, though she also noted the need for further 
progress in expanding religious tolerance and resolving 
outstanding disputes.  She also relayed greetings to the 
conference from President Bush, while commending Rabbi 
Schneier for his broad vision. 
 
7.  (U)  After the opening greetings and salutations the 
evening of November 7, conference participants met in working 
groups for two days before producing a conference declaration 
on November 9.  The conference was held amid heavy security, 
with police forces present in droves, and passed without 
incident.  Media carried the event -- including Charge's 
message of solidarity and President Bush's greetings -- 
widely. 
 
8.  (U)  Comment:  This conference sent a clear message that 
religious leaders must condemn acts of violence carried out 
in the name of a religion -- any religion.  To have such a 
regionally and denominationally diverse group agree on a 
three-page text is no easy feat, yet eleven years after 
producing the first "Bosphorus Declaration" at the Appeal's 
Peace and Tolerance I conference, Rabbi Schneier and the 
Ecumenical Patriarch were again able to bring together 
religious leaders committed to public expressions of 
interfaith dialogue and harmony.  The conference was 
successful in reaffirming the role religious leaders can play 
in promoting peace and tolerance in the world today.  End 
comment. 
JONES