News from Berlin

Former Chancellor Kohl Welcomes Visit from Archbishop and Apostolic Nuncio Eterović

May 06th, 2014
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News from Berlin - Helmut Kohl, former Chancellor of Germany, welcomed Archbishop Nikola Eterović, the Apostolic Nuncio in Germany to his home in Ludwigshafen. The Apostolic Nuncio was accompanied by Dr. Karl-Heinz Wiesemann, the Bishop of Speyer and Tuomo T. Vimpari, the Nunciature Secretary.

Eterović thanked Kohl for the good relationship he maintained with both the Vatican and the Catholic Church in Europe. Furthermore they talked about Christian-inspired policies that can help create welfare and peace. The Nuncio also made use of the occasion to congratulate the former Chancellor on his 84th birthday, what he celebrated two days earlier.

The main topic was of course the unity of Europe and the current events in Ukraine and Crimea. The Archbishop, who was also the Apostolic Nuncio for several years in Ukraine, asked Kohl about his experiences during his mandate and his view on what can be done to resolve the conflict.

Today many people in Europe see the unification of Europe as vital for the future of Europe, something Kohl strived for his whole life. Therefore he stated that it is of great importance to keep the dialogue open between the countries and even though the situation looks grim, Ukraine and Russia have to be respectful towards each other. Kohl added that people shouldn't forget that Russia is a part of Europe, not only geographically, but also from a historical and cultural perspective. Therefore it is the responsibility of Europe and the rest of the world to find a peaceful solution to this difficult situation.

News from Berlin – Berlin Global