ASTANA, June 11. /TASS/. The United Nations (UN) organization needs to interfere to solve politically-motivated conflicts, in particular in Ukraine and Middle East, Metropolitan of Minsk and Zaslavl, who heads the Russian delegation, told TASS on Thursday at V Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
The UN needs to use its capabilities to settle the situation in the Middle East, as one of its tasks is "assisting conflict resolution between countries," the Metropolitan said. "The worst thing is extermination of Christians in the Middle East, destruction of Christian monuments, cathedrals. The Russian Orthodox Church is doing everything possible in the Middle East now, but this is a very complicated issue, and the UN should also participate in this," he noted.
The religious leader stressed that though "terrorists use religious symbols and motives," they in fact pursue completely different aims. "There is no religion there, only 100-percent politics and financial component. Representatives of the so-called Islamic State use religious terminology, religious ideas, but in reality are far away from religion. All religions call on people to love God and love people," he added. Levers at the level of authorities and states are used not sufficiently enough to stop extremism in the Middle East, the Metropolitan noted.
Not all possible political measures are used for solving the crisis in the south-east of Ukraine as well, the religious leader said. "Ukraine is a wound for the Church, especially for the Orthodox Church, because a internecine war is underway there. But someone needs this war, someone benefits from it. When a civil war, internecine war is underway, it is compatible with religious wars that bring terrible consequences and great pain," he concluded.