European Union

” “The plenary session of the European Parliament” “

The European Parliament (EP) met in plenary session in Strasbourg from 1st to 4th October . The session was characterized by the declarations of the Council and of the Commission and by the debate on the developments that have taken place following the terrorist attacks in the USA and the measures that the EU has […]

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Switzerland

” “The Church and the "sans-papiers"” “” “

“We can’t abandon the 300,000 clandestine immigrants in our country”, declares the bishop of Fribourg 4 June 2001, Whit Monday, national holiday in Switzerland: a score of clandestine immigrants (“sans-papiers”) occupy the Catholic church of St. Paul in Fribourg and ask for their position to be regularized. A stand-off begins that lasts almost three months: […]

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ecumenism

” “Kek: no to retaliation” “

As already affirmed on several occasions, the Conference of European Churches (KEK) has once again reiterated – after the American and British attacks on Afghanistan – that “political and peaceful solutions are always to be preferred to violent and military ones”, in the conviction that “violence must not automatically spawn further violence”. In a message […]

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Russia

” “Religions together for peace” “” “

Kirill: “The military response must be commensurate with the offence, otherwise we risk succumbing to a spiral of violence” The recourse to violence to restore peace is legitimate, but only once all the other paths of peaceful negotiation have failed. Presenting the position of the Russian Orthodox Church as regards the international crisis that has […]

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the refugees

” “The intervention of the European Commission…” “” “

EU Foreign Ministers, meeting in Luxembourg on 8 October, defined the two basic strands of EU policy towards Afghanistan and the other Islamic countries involved in the crisis: first, a humanitarian intervention for refugees and displaced persons; second, a renewed effort of cooperation and political dialogue with the Islamic world. The European Commission has pledged […]

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the conflict

” “A coalition against terrorism” “” “

The crisis has accelerated the EU’s foreign policy and common defence. The analysis of John Palmer “The European Policy Centre”, a think-tank dedicated to analyzing the process of European integration, with its seat in Brussels, is carefully monitoring the international crisis following the terrorist attacks in the USA and the military offensive in Afghanistan. We […]

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…and the UN High Commission for Refugees” “” “

“In spite of the precarious situations of security and the logistic problems, humanitarian relief to the refugees in the Pakistan border areas is continuing. Although the frontiers with Afghanistan officially remain closed, several hundred refugees continue to arrive in Pakistan each day”. These are the most recent updates from Islamabad, issued by the UN High […]

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The solidarity ” “of German Catholics” “” “

The testimony of Thomas Koenig, volunteer of Misereor, on the situation on the frontier of Afghanistan 300,000 DM to be placed at the disposal of experts working in the areas most directly involved by the military escalation underway over the last few days: the initiative is that of the German aid organization Misereor which ever […]

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The Caritas network” “” “

A coordination of Caritas agencies throughout the world for aid to Afghan refugees. We interviewed Roberto Rambaldi on this question After the first attacks of the USA on Afghanistan, flanked by airplanes that dropped food packs, blankets and medicines to the stricken populations, Roberto Rambaldi, vice-director of Italian Caritas and head of its international division, […]

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No to "Fortress Europe"” “” “

The last provisions of the European Parliament for a more “user-friendly” Union The European Parliament (EP), gathered in Strasbourg in plenary session from 1st to 4th October, approved two provisions on asylum and immigration, respectively the Report of the British Labour MEP Evans on the Commission’s Communication to the Council and to the EP “ […]

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