Russian Patriarch Alexy II Visits Estonia
Published:
26 September 2003 y., Friday
Russian Patriarch Alexy II arrived Thursday for a five-day visit, his first since a bitter dispute over the status of the faithful in the republic threatened to split Orthodox Christians worldwide.
Estonians also see Alexy's visit as a signal from the Kremlin that it wants to improve relations. The nation of 1.4 million people has sparred with Moscow over several issues since it regained independence amid the 1991 Soviet collapse.
"It's not just any old trip. It is, I would say, a kind of step toward the normalization of Estonian-Russian relations," said Marko Mihkelson, chairman of the Estonian parliament's foreign relations committee.
Alexy is uniquely positioned to carry a goodwill message, and not only because he's viewed as an emissary of the Russian government. He was born in Estonia in 1929, went to school here and reportedly speaks fluent Estonian.
Šaltinis:
AP
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
President Valdas Adamkus, who is attending the NATO anniversary summit, took part in the North Atlantic Council Meeting's morning session entitled "Global Challenges for NATO in Afghanistan".
more »
To be held in Strasbourg (France) and Kehl (Germany), the Summit will be dedicated to discussions on the prospects of the Alliance, its goals and objectives, and NATO operations in Afghanistan.
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus received Mr. Christian Wulff, Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, Germany.
more »
On 30 March, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas received Foreign Minister of Finland Alexander Stubb who was on an official visit to Lithuania.
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus received a congratulatory letter from the President of the United States Mr. Barack Obama.
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus received Mr. Alexander Stubb, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland.
more »
Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius has sent in to take part in an environment cleanup campaign “Let’s do it 2009”. Prime Minister wrote a letter to the state institutions urging them to join the campaign.
more »
Minister of National Defence Rasa Jukneviciene, Chief of Defence of Lithuanian Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Valdas Tutkus, and delegation of Lithuanian Government and Seimas representatives visited camp of Chaghcharan PRT-8.
more »
President Valdas Adamkus extended congratulations to President Karolos Papoulias of the Hellenic Republic on the occasion of Greek Independence Day.
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus received Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas.
more »