|
Euroasian Jewish News
Bosnian Leader Met Head of Euro-Asian Jewry.
22.12.2006
 Co-President of Bosnia-Herzegovina Haris Silajdžić, welcomed in his Sarajevo residence the largest Jewish organization of the continent leader, Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) President Alexander Machkevitch, EAJC press center informs.
Silajdžić, who represents interests of Bosnian Muslims, is one of the three equitable leaders of the country together with his colleagues from Serbian and Croatian communities.
In the course of negotiations, they discussed the outcomes of international peace keeping mission in Bosnia resulted in armed conflict termination, as well as use of Bosnian experience in restoration of national and religious accord as a part of initiatives of inter-ethnic and inter-confessional dialogue under the auspices of Kazakhstan President Noursultan Nazarbayev.
"Participation of international community in reconciliation of Bosnians started bringing expected results only when all parties to the conflict had realized necessity for peace, - said Machkevitch to the journalist in the end of the meeting, - I genuinely admire the will to negotiate demonstrated by Serbs, Croats and Muslims despite the nightmares of Balkan war that seemed to have opposed the parties for good. Peace-making experience of Bosnia may be useful for other regions of our planet".
Apart from the audience at Silajdžić, the program of the EAJC President's stay in Bosnia also included Machkevitch visit to Sarajevo synagogue, the one of the oldest synagogues in Europe, where he solemnly lit a candle as demanded tradition of Hanukkah.
"For our ancestors, a miracle in honor of which we celebrate Hanukkah, was a symbol of terminated physical and spiritual genocide of Israel by belligerent Greek-Syrians, - said Machkevitch in his speech to the Jewish community leaders, - Several years ago, for the Jews of Bosnia-Herzegovina, another miracle was the absence of any noticeable judeophobic component in the conflict that afflicted the country. Practically all the parties could have been tempted to use anti-Semitism on a large scale, but, to the credit of the parties that were at war during that time, such methods were never applied".
Original publication (in Russian): Lenta.ru
|
|
