Posted on 05/06/2008 2:01:09 PM PDT by forkinsocket
BRUSSELS , May 5: The President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, underlined here Monday that Islam is part and parcel of Europe and he also condemned the concept of clash of civilisations.
"Islam today is part of Europe. It is important to understand this.One should not see Islam as outside Europe. We already have an important presence of Islam and Muslims among our citizens," Barroso told a press conference this afternoon after an informal dialogue between EU leaders and around twenty high-level representatives of Christianity, Judaism and Islam in Europe.
"We can be a European citizen being a Christian, being Jewish or Muslim or having no religion," he noted.
On his part, the Grand Mufti of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Dr.Mustafa Ceric, said Islam is indeed part of Europe but unfortunately Turkey is not yet part of Europe.
"Following this logic Europe has to prove that Islam is part of Europe by not delaying the acceptance of Turkey to the EU," Ceric told the joint press conference.
Many people in Turkey and the Muslim world believe that Turkey will not be accepted as an EU member because it is a Muslim country.
Mondays meeting was co-chaired by European Commission President Barroso, Slovenian Prime Minister and current President of the European Council, Janez Jansa, and the President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pottering.
This year's meeting focused on two major challenges facing the European Union: Climate Change and Reconciliation.
This was the fourth such annual meeting with religious leaders and the second involving the Presidents of the three EU institutions. The initiative was launched by President Barroso in 2005.
Barroso said that the inter-faith dialogue proved that "preachers of clash of civilisations are wrong".
Janez Jansa told reporters that "the environment is not only natural but also a sacred place. Community and loalty between man, nature and the Creator is a basic principle of Judaism, Christianity and Islam alike".
Slovenia, he said, would like to create an Euro-Mediterranean university which will be a meeting place for young people coming from the Christian, Muslim and Jewish world.
A charter will be signed on 9 June in Slovenia, which holds the current EU Presidency, on creating this new university.
EP President Pottering said "intercultural dialogue is an important contribution to the European Union's relations with its neighbouring countries, in particular in the Mediterranean region".
He noted that since the EU has declared 2008 as the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, the high-level meeting is a welcome opportunity to focus o on the topic of "Reconciliation through intercultural and inter-faith dialogue".(KUNA)
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
There are none so blind as those who will not see.
Long Hail to the Cult of Death! Yea!
S-U-R-R-E-N-D-E-R monkey alert!
Europe is in for a big fall this time, because you can’t simply remove the enemy from within.
The U.S. would do well to avoid this mess, but it won’t.
I am convinced more than ever that we are in end times.
Sorry folks, but Christian nations are surrendering. The main antithesis to Christianity, is taking over.
Hey, good luck with that!
Turkey’s a real gem...
What was that Kosovo thing about again?
Not true. Europe is now part of Islam.
This is called whistling in the dark: Barroso, I assume from Spain, the nation that allowed their politic leadership to change because of a train bombing? No matter what “edicts”, public statements, casual or official, anyone in the E.U. or the
“European Commission” makes, Islam will inevitably push itself to a tipping point, and there WILL be a clash of civilizations, like it or not. One wonders just what the trade-off is, though.
Europe is finished. I’m afraid we’re next on their list. And the “multicultural” lunatics in this country are too blind and stupid to understand what’s happening.
Hmm...yeah, you might say Islam has been trying to be a part of Europe for quite awhile, usually at the point of the sword. There was Tours/Poitier in 732 AD, the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the Reconquista in 1492, Lepanto in 1571, Vienna in 1529 and 1683... The only thing that seems to have changed is that the Europeans aren’t fighting back this time.
the future first against the wall...
Therefore let us all, before Allah, recite the shehada and throw ourselves on our faces in submission to his will as dictated to whoever the strongest thug imam is on any given day (PBUH). lalalalalalalalala
Beheadings and honor killings are part of islamofascism which is a part of europe therefore it is legitimate behavior.
IOW this buffoon seeks to be “famous” as the usher in of Turkey.
Communism could have taken some lessons from them.
It is a very important presence among your citizens, Barroso. The greatest anti-truth, anti-freedom collective in the history of civilization will never be citizens in Europe. You will be 2nd class dhimmis in their conquest, if you are fortunate enough to live.
"A religion of peace..."
“Festering Eurabia”..
This a-hole is sounding the death knell for European culture. It’s over. Someone should tell him that when Europe is a bloody slaughterhouse this time America will NOT be coming to your rescue.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.