Saturday, April 16, 2011

Top Vatican cleric slams Germany's refusal to take in migrants

Germany's refusal to take in some of the thousands of mostly Tunisian migrants currently in Italy is 'unacceptable,' a top Vatican cleric said Sunday. 

'I'm astonished by the position of closure adopted by my country,' German-born Cardinal Walter Kasper, said in an interview with Turin- based daily, La Stampa.

'I grew up in a Germany destroyed by the (Second World) war, but which still knew how to welcome masses of displaced persons and to give a home to entire populations who were fleeing from misery and despair,' the 78-year-old Kasper said.

The cleric's remarks come in the wake of a growing dispute between Italy and fellow European Union member states, France and Germany, over Italian plans to issue visas to the migrants to allow them to move freely across many European countries.

More than 21,000 Tunisians have arrived in Italy since the January uprising in their country, and, according to Italian officials, many of them wish to join relatives who live in France, but also Germany.

But governments in Berlin and Paris say the visas would violate European travel laws.

Kasper, who is president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and for many years headed the Vatican's interfaith dialogue initiatives under Pope Benedict XVI and his predecessor John Paul, said 'politicians' concerns over the plan are understandable'.

'But Germany's opposition to the visas is unacceptable,' he added.

'Germany should be more open and show greater participation in the current tragedy. It should play its part towards the refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants arriving in Italy after fleeing from war and poverty,' he told La Stampa.