|
http://www.kuna.net.kw/Home/print.aspx?Language=en&DSNO=712746
UN Commissioner to Balkan calls for recognizing Islam as European culture GEN-BALKAN-COMMISSIONER-BILDT UN Commissioner to Balkan calls for recognizing Islam as European culture By Yaseen Rawashdeh SARAJEVO, March 12 (KUNA) -- UN Commissioner to the Balkans Carl Bildt on Saturday called for recognizing Islam as part of the European culture, asserting that Muslims in Balkan formed a unique and positive factor in European affairs. In a statement on the Balkan Convention for Development and Cooperation, which took place in Macedonia, Bildt told KUNA that Muslims in the Balkans, especially in Bosnia and Kosovo, proved that they are characterized with tolerance and cooperation with other societies, noting that they were victims of the others, not visa versa. Bildt, who is the former UN commissioner for Bosnia and former Sweden's prime minister, said the war in Bosnia proved that Muslims were victims and did not practice revenge based upon religion or ethnicity, which reinforces the fundamentals of their religious culture that prevents such practices. The official expressed dissatisfaction at the thoughts promoting doubts toward European Muslims or the thoughts that Islam is an abnormal religion in Europe, stressing that cultural and religious pluralisms are the main components of all European societies and there is no single European country occupied by the followers of only one religion or ethnicity. The official demanded the developing of the Balkans as a whole, calling for accepting all the region's countries together in the EU to prevent any issues or conflicts that might be generated by keeping some Balkan countries outside the EU. Bildt also called for more conferences and meetings between Balkan countries and EU representatives, and called for including the region in joint transportation and economic development projects. Major political officials and social figures from 12 southeastern Europe countries and EU representatives held a number of meetings during the past two days in Macedonia to discuss development and cooperation issues in the Balkans. (end) yr. fhd KUNA 121638 Mar 05NNNN |
