LOS ANGELES/MOSCOW: September 28, 2006
Statement of the Secretaries of the Commission of the Moscow Patriarchate on Dialogue with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and the Commission of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia on Negotiations with the Moscow Patriarchate

The hierarchy of the Moscow Patriarchate and of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia agreed at the very beginning of the dialogue process that for the sake of its constructive development the documents which are jointly developed by our Commissions would be published after their final approval by both sides and by mutual agreement.

The fact of the recent publication of a distorted text of a preliminary draft of one of the documents evokes regret, because it bears witness to the fact that some persons have displayed a dishonorable attitude to the clearly expressed will of the hierarchy in an attempt to destroy trust among the responsible participants in the negotiations.

Also, it should be noted that all of the fundamental theses of the of the "Act of Canonical Communion" have already been articulated in various publications to the extent these theses have been considered as being mutually agreed to by the two sides.

Notwithstanding this breach of ecclesiastical discipline, which is worthy of condemnation, and which was undertaken with the goal of creating obstacles to our dialogue, we express our confidence in its further successful development. In the near future the next meeting of the Commissions will be held, at which the discussion of questions connected with the reestablishment of the fullness of canonical and eucharistic unity of the Local Russian Church will take place.