US and EU explore cooperation on religious freedom
February 13, 5:21 PM
By Brian Pellot | Religion News Service
BRUSSELS — In the first meeting of its kind, members of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom met with the European Parliament’s working group on freedom of religion or belief to explore opportunities for trans-Atlantic and international cooperation.
“One nation speaking alone may just be accused of name-calling, but many nations speaking together will certainly have an effect, and that’s what we hope to see,” said Commissioner Mary Ann Glendon of U.S. foreign policy positions toward religious freedom.
Heiner Bielefeldt, the United Nations’ special rapporteur on freedom of religion, delivered the keynote speech Wednesday (Feb. 12) at the European Parliament in Brussels. He noted increased interest in religious freedom in recent years but said that the topic is often viewed with unease or suspicion.
“Freedom of expression, being the epitome of liberal rights, is seen as a green light for provocation,” Bielefeldt said.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/us-and-eu-explore-cooperation-on-religious-freedom/2014/02/13/3deec17c-94fd-11e3-9e13-770265cf4962_story.html