For the last several months the world has lived in a situation of growing tension around Iraq. The USA with the support of Great Britain and some other countries are planning to launch large-scale military actions against this country, trying to justify them by the danger of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The Russian Orthodox Church, just as all people of good will, is concerned for the proliferation and the use of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. Many religious leaders have repeatedly stressed that the observance of international norms in these areas is one of the essential conditions for peace on the planet.

Insisting on a peaceful diplomatic way of settling this problem in Iraq, our Church has repeatedly called to lift up the economic sanctions from this country as they have already led to the suffering of civilians, especially sick people and children. In the context of efforts made by the world public to strengthen peace in the Middle East, we have established a dialogue with the religious, public and political leaders in Iraq. In the course of the dialogue we stressed the necessity of taking such measures by Iraqi government that will remove all doubts of the international community regarding the war potential of this country. The decision to resume the work of international inspectors was accepted with satisfaction by the majority of people on our planet because that meant the choice for a peaceful way of settling the existing problems. Today there are no reasons for stopping the mission of international inspectors and commencing military operations. Nations cannot be deprived of a chance to establish peace.

The war in Iraq will inevitably lead to the death and suffering of a tremendous number of innocent people, as always in such a case civilians like children, women, old people will be injured, there will be thousands of refugees. It is absolutely obvious that military operations in this oil production region can turn out to be a global ecological catastrophe. All this may blow up the situation in the Middle East, creating a threat to peace and stability in the whole world.

Today the Russian Orthodox Church addresses appeal to the governments of those countries on which the decision to begin or not to begin war depends to do all that is possible to avoid an armed conflict. For the actions that are taken without considering the opinion of the international community, the opinion of a majority of people on the Earth, destroy the existing system of international law and inter-governmental institutions. The first blow on its foundations was already struck by the bombing of Yugoslavia, which was initiated without the sanction of the United Nations and which led to destruction and death of thousands of people in the very center of Europe. Now another action is being prepared, which can turn the existing world order into ashes. The violation of legal norms sows chaos and arbitrariness, for lawlessness always generates more lawlessness. "They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind" (Hos. 8:7), Holy Scripture says.

Our Church supports the efforts of the governments, spiritual and public leaders in various countries who have come out against the military operations and rejects the attempts to justify this war. We call upon the nations of the world to stop military preparations against Iraq, to prevent bloodshed of innocent people. We plead the God "to guide our feet into the way of peace" (Lk. 1:79) and to protect the biblical earth of Iraq against the fire of war.

Moscow, 17 March 2003,
St.-Daniel's monastery
The celebration of the 700-th anniversary
of the assumption of saint prince Daniel of Moscow

http://www.russian-orthodox-church.org.ru/ne303171.htm