The Testimony, June 2000 243 News from the Nations

Ecumenical moves ISRAEL THREATENS LEBANON The Roman Catholic Church is to Israel has threatened to bomb Lebanon, and also Syrian targets located increase its participation in the in Lebanon, if any of its soldiers or civilians are attacked after the work of the World Council of completion of their retreat from south Lebanon. Declaring the end of Churches (WCC). One item for Israel’s twenty-two-year occupation, Prime Ehud Barak said careful study during 2000 will be he would consider any firing on Israeli territory from its northern a proposal by the WCC to exam- neighbour as “an act of war”. Israel’s army chief of staff told reporters ine the possibility of establishing in the Israeli border town of Metulla: “If there is an attempt to hit the “a forum of Christian Churches northern residents or Israeli soldiers, we will hit all the power-holding and ecumenical organisations”. A elements in Lebanon, including Syrian targets in Lebanon”. representative of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity has been present at two pre- Israelis and Arabs clash vious meetings for the purpose of In response to the recent Israeli and Arab clash on a day of studying the need, scope and na- protest, the Israeli Settlers’ Council, which represents Jewish ture of such a forum. With the settlers who live on Israeli-occupied land, accused Mr Barak establishment of a new structure of giving in to Palestinian violence by agreeing to hand over and more coherent programmes, three Jerusalem suburbs. Danny Naveh, a member of the the WCC has also changed the by- right-wing Likud bloc, said: “This is the beginning of the proc- laws of its constitution in order to ess of dividing Jerusalem”. The suburbs are Abu Dis, only make it possible for non-member 1,000 yards from the religious heart of the city, the Temple churches to participate in its pro- Mount; Al-Azariya, the modern name of the Biblical village of grammes. Besides the ongoing Bethany, behind the Mount of Olives; and the village of collaboration within the frame- Suwahra. Some Israelis hoped Mr Arafat might agree to have work of the WCC programmes, the capital of his future state in Abu Dis, which has a clear the Joint Working Group Execu- view of the Muslim holy places. But Ariel Sharon, the Likud tive proposed joint studies (which leader, said that Jewish worshippers at the Wailing Wall would will need further clarification and be looking into a Palestinian gun. “Anyone who votes for this elaboration by the full Joint Work- transfer is bringing the gun barrels used in Jenin today into ing Group) on the implications of our capital”. common baptism in the life of the Churches, interchurch marriages Syrian troops in south Lebanon? and the implications for ecumeni- Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon’s security zone raises the pos- cal relations, and the role of Coun- sibility of the Lebanese government asking Syria to send its cils of Churches in the ecumenical troops to the south with the Lebanese Army. Lebanese Defence movement. Minister Ghazi Zaiter said: “The aim of such a request is not to have Syria protect Israel’s northern border, but to put Tel Aviv Pope plans debt summit within range of Syrian rockets”. Zaiter said this is his personal The pope plans to call a G8 meet- opinion. ing of his own in Assisi later this year when he will ask leaders of Syria’s arms deal with the industrial powers, including With no progress having been made towards peace with Syria, Britain, to promise reductions in Prime Minister Barak has lifted a freeze he ordered last year on Third World debt. The summit was construction in the Golan Heights. Days later, press reports indi- planned for the autumn, said Arch- cated that Syria was about to close a $500 million arms deal with bishop Crescenzio Sepe, a mem- Russia, which would include the supply of advanced fighter ber of the Roman Curia. planes, an air-defence system and anti-tank armaments. 244 The Testimony, June 2000

Deal to rebuild Iraq’s air Kazakh oil prospect defences The prospect of a big oil strike in the northern Caspian Sea Russian military officials have has triggered a new outbreak of political and diplomatic jock- helped to negotiate a multi-mil- eying in the region. Drilling will begin in Kazakhstan’s offshore lion-pound arms deal with Sad- Kashagan concession fields. Speculation has already begun. dam Hussein that will enable the Some of the more optimistic forecasts suggest there could be Iraqi leader to undertake a radi- more than twenty billion barrels of recoverable oil. Lack of a cal overhaul of his country’s air clear picture has not stopped Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan, as defences. They have agreed to re- well as the US, from expressing interest in obtaining Kashagan’s equip the Iraqi air force and pro- reserves for their pipeline plans. Tehran has proposed a con- vide air defence training for Iraqi duit that could carry a million barrels a day across Kazakhstan troops. Russia’s involvement in and Turkmenistan, and out through the Gulf. is keen the negotiations dates back to July to see any Kashagan crude flow through its pipeline system. 1999 when Russians brokered a Russia plans to transport up to fifteen million tons this year. A meeting between Tariq Aziz, the second pipeline from Tengiz to Novorossiysk on Russia’s Black Iraqi deputy prime minister, and Sea coast is due to come online next year and will take up to Sergei Ling, the Belarussian prime sixty-seven million tons per year. There are also efforts by the minister. The Russians arranged US to secure Kazakhstan’s oil for a proposed east-west trans- the meeting after details of their Caspian route to , the capital of Azerbaijan, from where it own £100 million secret arms deal, would be piped to Ceyhan on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. negotiated with Baghdad by Kazakh officials are keeping quiet about which way they want Yevgeny Primakov, the former their oil to flow. prime minister, were revealed in the Sunday Telegraph. Pope’s Holy Land pilgrimage The pope’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land was hailed in as a WATER FOR ISRAEL major triumph. He was credited with strengthening the Palestine The Israeli Ministerial Economic cause, furthering the Holy See’s interests in the region and, most Committee has authorised a $150 of all, winning over the Israelis. The pope received ecstatic cover- million facility to desalinate fifty mil- age for his request for forgiveness of the Church’s treatment of lion cubic metres of seawater annu- the Jews, which he in a letter at the Wailing Wall. One com- ally, and the start of talks with Turkey mentator in Jerusalem wrote: “It has been the most sensational on the purchase of fresh water. image-creating operation that the Catholic Church could have ever carried out before the Hebrew world”. As the pope recov- The pope meets Haider ered from the gruelling trip, Vatican specialists questioned The pope is to grant an audience whether he would achieve his other great desire, to travel to to Jorg Haider, the Austrian far- Moscow and meet the Russian Patriarch, Alexei II. right Freedom Party leader, it has emerged. The Vatican is seeking Abdullah visits Israel to play down the significance of On his first visit to Israel as king recently, Abdullah of Jordan urged the meeting, saying Mr Haider’s Israel and Syria to resume talks. During his four hours in Eilat, he also presence is in the context of an called for Jerusalem to serve as capital of both Israel and Palestine. Austrian delegation that is reli- gious and not political. The group Albania develops trade facilities from will be donating a Modernisation is under way at Albania’s port of Durres, the gate- Christmas tree to the pope on be- way for over ninety per cent of the country’s trade. A new ferry half of its people. Mr Haider, along terminal is under construction to serve increasing numbers of with other civic leaders and the trucks and passengers using the Adriatic link with Italy, Greece Bishop of Klagenfurt, will visit the and . During the Kosovo conflict the port handled hu- Vatican on December 16. Mgr manitarian aid shipments for refugees from Kosovo. The Alba- Gianni Danzi, secretary of the nian government wants Durres to be the starting point for a Pontifical Commission for the Vati- trans-Balkan highway linking the Adriatic with ’s Black can City, insisted that Mr Haider’s Sea ports of Burgas and Varna. Roads through Albania, Macedo- planned participation had no po- nia and Bulgaria would be upgraded to international standards. litical overtones.