Åbent brev fra kirkerne til Angela Merkel: EU skal tage sit globale ansvar alvorligt

Konferencen for Europæiske Kirker (KEK) har sendt et åbent brev til Angela Merkel. Jeg har ikke tid til at elaborere meget på det, så her kommer lige teksten fra den e-mail der lige er tikket ind fra KEK:

CEC ADDRESSES GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL: THE EU MUST ASSUME ITS RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE PROCESS OF GLOBALISATION

In a letter to the Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, the Conference of European Churches (CEC) urged the European Union (EU) to fulfil “its responsibility in the globalisation process, by taking a pioneering role in working with all its power, within the context of the United Nations, for concrete goals and deadlines for combating poverty and climate change for all G8 countries.”

The letter was sent today, on the eve of the G8 Summit (Heiligendamm, Germany, 6-8 June) and the European Council (Brussels, 21-22 June) meeting under the German Presidency. It was signed by Rev. Rüdiger Noll, Director of the Church and Society Commission and Associate General Secretary of CEC.

“One of the great challenges which Europe faces today”, the letter states, “is raised by the globalisation process. In this context this year, the Federal Republic of Germany has a particular responsibility, not only through the EU presidency but also in chairing the G8”. The letter to Chancellor Merkel notes that Church leaders from the CEC member churches, meeting last December in Brussels, had underlined that “Europe’s wealth starkly contrasts with the conditions of people in many parts of the world. The EU and other European states have a responsibility to work for a balanced world economy with just trade relations, equitable migration policies and an end to economic exploitation* We urge political leaders to develop a better balance between economic, social and ecological policies in which social and ecological policies are an integrated part of overall policy and not simply an addendum to economic policy” (see http://www.cec-kek.org/content/openletter13.shtml).

The letter thanked Chancellor Merkel for her participation in the 15 May dialogue meeting with leaders of churches and religious communities in Brussels (see http://www.cec-kek.org/content/pr-cq0723e.shtml). The letter also emphasised some of the “core concerns” of the European churches regarding the shaping of Europe. Among them, the draft EU Constitutional Treaty, which includes values such as human dignity, freedom and solidarity, justice and reconciliation, equality and mutual respect. The churches “urgently request that this foundation of values be preserved for the further development of the European Union in any future treaty”. They also plead for “the inclusion in any future treaty of an unambiguous and legally binding reference to human rights”.

The letter underlined the need to “bring Europe closer to its citizens”, to guarantee “a healthy balance between social dimensions such as social justice and social cohesiveness on one hand and economic competition on the other”, and to enhance “civil means of preventing conflicts and mediation” within the EU security policies.