CO 6 6 9 4 4 9 5 IED U S Department of State Case No F-2017-13804 Doc No C06694495 Date 03 29 2019 CONFlBENTL L GOHPIBBN'Pii L 0586 RELEASE IN FULLI THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON IDECLASSIFIEDI ME ORA DUM OF CONVERSATION SUBJECT ' Meeting with Patriarch Aleksiy II of Russia u PJ RTICI PANTS The President Thomas Pickering U S Ambassador to Russia Anthony Lake Assistant to the Presi-dent for National Security Affairs John Beyrle Director for Russia Ukraine and Eurasia Affairs NSC Notetaker Kiril Borisov Interpreter Aleksiy II Patriarch Metropolitan Kiril of Smolensk and Kaliningrad DATE TIME AND PLACE January 13 1994 4 35 5 10 p m Kuntsevo Hospital Moscow Patriarch Aleksiy II I am sorry that I must greet you in a hospital I had wanted you to be able to visit me at our monastery But I thank you for coming to see me here I know that you have a very busy schedule and I consider this a mark of respect for the spiritual values that we represent U I ould like to offer our profound condolences on the death of your mother ' I know that this happened on the eve of your departure from the United States With your permission I would like to offer a prayer for th eternal repose of your mother All stand for prayer and moment of silence U I know that your time is limited I ould like briefly to tell you about the history of the Russian Orthodox Church For more than 1000 years we have spread the word of God throughout Russia Recently we passed through a difficult period one that can genuinely be called genocidal It is difficult for Westerners to imagine the repression and persecution that believers in our church were forced to suffer For this reason Me welcome with all of our heart and soul the democratic changes taking place in our society including the freedom of conscience U We do not want to be a state church we want to remain outside of religion Still the moral 9ondition of our society is not a matter of indifference to us We want to bring the spiritual condition back to health after the last seventy-plus years One service we can perform is peacemaking among that nations of the eONFIElEWfIAL Declassify on OADR DECLASSIFICATION AUTHORITY Geoffrey W Chapman Senior Reviewer A GIS IPS 3 25 2019 '--- tt h_H_f---------------- UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2017-13804 Doc No C06694495 Date 03 29 2019 CO 6 6 94 4 95 IED U S Department of State Case No F-2017-13804 Doc No C06694495 Date 03 29 2019 rn J rl j11 jI •1 t d · ' ·- I U ' COHFIDBWPI A L ' 'II _ 2 CIS Ours is not just a Russian church it goes beyond the current borders of Russia into the former USSR We try to preserve stability and to further peace and prevent the incitement of ethn'ic strife and hatred Recently at our initiative meetings were held in Azerbaijan between representatives of the Muslim and Armenian churches And in October I conducted talks between the government and Supreme Soviet I had been in the United States when I left I had nc idea I •11Juld need to mediate this conf lic t I warrted only to prevent bloodshed I felt that only the Church could restrain the warring sides U · In June 1994 in either Moscow or Minsk there will be a conference on the Christian faith and human animosity The American National Council of Churches of Christ is provid ng us great deal of help in this I received a telegram from them this' week asking me to convey their condolences to you U Mr President we cannot but help be concerned by the results of the recent election in Russia And we are concerned by the violations of human rights and freedom of conscience especially in Ukraine where the Orthodox Church is subjected to repressive methods from official sources because the liturgy requires that they mention their subservience to the Patriarchy of Moscow We are also concerned by the situation in the Baltic states C We are extremely grateful for the-·help you are giving Russia during this difficult period and would like to thank the American people through you for the help you have given us We have set up an infrastructure to di tribute humanitarian aid and -ensure that it reaches those who' really need ·it · tf _ The short time we have doesn't give us much time for discussion But if you'd allow me I could send you a le through Ambassador Pickering U I know that many in the United·siates I do have one question don't understand our position on ma t te-rs of faith and the iaw on religions There are no restrictions ow on the· ireedom of conscience But we would want to disallow those who come in under the cloak of religion to spre d-·_11a·tefuf prbpa g hd 'f te r- _- _ the 75-year spiritual vacuum we have lived through any teligiou$ leader who speaks to the people receives· attention·_- Certa ih sects and teachings are permitted t o-·p rose·lytize· here more·' tnan in any other country C - -- · · c· The President I was sad that we were unable· to meet this past fall But I am sure you did the right thing by· returning home As you may know I first came to Russia as a student 24 years ago My first impression upon returning is one of joy that people have the freedom of worship again Today I visited the church on Red Square that you have ust rebuilt U Patriarch Aleksiy II The President rmmrl lnH PTiD T It was just rechristened U I lit a candle in memory of my mother f' ' l r-1 l 'lr l lTI II I And I was UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2017-13804 Doc No C06694495 Date 03 29 2019 CO 6 6 94 4 95ilFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2017-13804 Doc No C06694495 Date 03 29 2019 eoru I 151 tn IAL CONF DENTIAL glad to see so many young people 24 years ago this month I visited the Novodevichy Monastery They were in the midst of a funeral and I was struck by how devout and strong the believers were but it seemed then that they were all older people Today I saw so many young people and it gla_dde ned my heart · U Patriarch Aleksiy II This is true not just in Moscow I have visited 18 regions of Russia and the ame thing c h be se n there too· U The President I also appreciate your conunents on religious liberty My church was supporting for many years the right of Russians to worship I am a Baptist which is the largest denomination in the United States So many of the leaders of my church asked me about the Law on Religions and so I am glad to hear your answer I agree with you that people who couldn't worship for years are easy prey for false preachings But they need to keep their eyes open so that when they hear the truth they can have faith in it I also appreciate your support for reform I hope during this trip that I can convey to ordinary citizens that the United States is committed to the economic restoration of the country so that each _person can live up to his spiritual potential The recent elections made clear that many people do not see a better life coming out_qf this transiiion period and don't believe that society will get better And when a great people cannot imagine a great future for themselve they of course look backward So I hope that th ough TV broadcasts or meetings in the street they'll Y el that th U S i helping u The spiritual dimension is definitely importint When 1 h ard how the Kazan Cathedral was destroyed and rebuilt I as deeply moved I hope that you will feel free to writ to me·and send messages The future of your country is important to the U S and the whole world nd you will have a lot to say about how ic all comes out U - End of Conver·sa tidn -- 'j • l eeMFIDEN'fIAL CONFI OENTIAL UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2017-13804 Doc No C06694495 Date 03 29 2019 CO 6 6 9 4 4 9 9 IED U S Dep rtmen_t of_ State__ Case No F- 017-13804 Doc No C06694499 Date 03 29 2019 RELEASE IN FULL -- - ---· _ - - · --- ------ -- UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F-2017-13804 Doc No C06694499 Date 03 29 2019