NEWS FROM THE House International Relations Committee Benjamin A. Gilman, Chairman DATE: October 21, 1999 FOR RELEASE: Immediate Contact: Lester Munson, Communications Director (202)225-5021 GILMAN COSPONSORS RESOLUTION ON RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION IN GERMANY "GERMANY IS A COUNTRY THAT SHOULD TO BE A LEADER IN TOLERANCE," SAYS GILMAN WASHINGTON (October 21) - U.S. Rep. Benjamin A. Gilman (20th-NY), Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, released the following statement today at a press conference announcing the introduction of a resolution authored by Rep. Matt Salmon (AZ) with respect to government discrimination in Germany based on religion or belief: "Thank you for coming today. The problem of religious intolerance in Europe is widely recognized, even in Europe itself. It should be obvious -- especially to Europeans -- that intolerance is much more harmful than is any so-called harm that may arise from adherence to one or another of the many new religions that have arisen in the world in the past few years. "Germany is a country that should to be a leader in tolerance, and ought to be setting an example. Sadly, it is not doing so. Indeed, not only have countries such as Austria, Belgium, and France joined in its efforts to suppress disfavored groups on the basis of their religion or belief, but newly-developing democracies in Eastern Europe are following Germany's example. "Thus, in various European countries, Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant groups that everyone in the United States would recognize as essentially benign have been singled out for attention: the Methodist Church, Satmar Chassidim, Opus Dei, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, and others. "As recently as this week I have personally asked German government officials to open a dialogue, in particular, with Scientologists, which seems to be the group that they are most anxious about, but I have been rebuffed, as has the United States government when it made the same request. "And so I will be joining in co-sponsoring a resolution on this subject, and will work to find other opportunities to use my influence to foster an atmosphere of tolerance of differences on the grounds of religion or belief." Also participating in the press conference were: Sen. Mike Enzi (WY), Rep. Matt Salmon (AZ), Rep. Mark Foley (FL) and the actress Anne Archer. ## 30 ##