Speaking to AsiaNews, Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev of Volokolamsk, head of the Russian Orthodox Foreign Affairs Department, condemned threats of NATO intervention without a UN mandate. As a Western military intervention against the Syrian government appears increasingly likely, He expressed “strong concern” about possible developments of the crisis, following unproven American charges that the Syrian government used chemical weapons against civilians. (Other sources suggest that the sarin gas employed was provided to the terrorists by a nearby foreign power). Metropolitan Hilarion said, “Once again, as was the case in Iraq, the USA is acting as an international executioner”. Speaking to AsiaNews, he strongly criticised the American position, calling it “completely one-sided”. He went on to say, “Without the endorsement of the UN, they want to decide the fate of a whole country of millions of inhabitants. Once again, they’ll sacrifice thousands of lives on the altar of an imaginary democracy; first of all, Christians, about whose fate no one cares. They’re at risk of becoming hostages to the situation and the main victims of radical extremist forces, who, with the help of the USA, will come to power. The international community must do everything to avoid events developing in this direction”.

27 August 2013

AsiaNews