November 22, 2005

KiM Info Newsletter 22-11-05

Marti Ahtisaari at Visoki Decani Monastery

Marti Ahtisaari, Bishop Teodosije and Fr. Sava, Decani 22 November (click to eenlarge)

KIM Info-service
Decani November 22, 2005.

The Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for the settlement of future status of Kosovo Marti Ahtisaari, Albert Rohan and their team visited today the Serbian Orthodox Monastery of Visoki Decani and talked to Bishop Teodosije (Sibalic) and Fr. Sava (Janjic).

As a vice-chair of the Church’s Kosovo Council and the representative of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) in reconstruction of destroyed churches in Kosovo and Metohija, Bishop Teodosije informed the Special envoy about the situation in which the Serbian Orthodox Church and its faithful have been living in Kosovo in the last 6 years.

In addition to institutional legal and property protection for the people in Kosovo and Metohija, the Church is vitally interested in lasting protection of its holy shrines: monasteries, churches and cultural heritage. For centuries, and during the most difficult of times, these Orthodox Christian holy shrines have been the faithful guardians and witnesses of the spiritual and cultural identity of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija and as such must be preserved for future, emphasized Bishop Teodosije, informing Mr. Ahtisaari about decisions of the recently held Holy Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Church which was particularly focused on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija.

Among other things the Holy Assembly of Bishops particularly supported the protection of Orthodox holy shrines by the creation of protection zones with the international military presence as well as concrete guarantees for normal life of monastic communities.

Conversatin with Mr. Ahtisaari and Mr. Rohan at the monastery library (click to enlarge)

Fr. Sava presented to the Special Envoy disturbing facts about systematic destruction of 150 churches in Monasteries in Kosovo since June 1999, adding that acts of violence over the remaining Orthodox Christian shrines still continue. He emphasized that protection of the Christian Orthodox holy sites is one of the key factors for the future of the Serb community in the Province.

At the end of the meeting Bishop Teodosije expressed his pleasure that Mr. Ahtisaari has visited one of the most important Serbian Orthodox monasteries in the region adding that this gesture of the Special Envoy demonstrates that protection of the Serbian people and its spiritual and cultural heritage is an important part of the future settlement on Kosovo and Metohija.

After the meeting Mr. Ahtisaari said that he was deeply impressed and advised the journalists that he would come out with his statement at the press conference tomorrow (Wednesday).

Bishop Teodosije explained to the journalists the basic principles which he mentioned in the conversation, adding that the conversation was not focused on the future status of Kosovo because Mr. Ahtisaari will particularly address this subject in his talks with political representatives.

Tomorrow, Mr. Ahtisaari will meet Serbian political representatives in Kosovo and will continue his tour to Belgrade and regional capitals to hear positions of different sides.

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