UCC Prez and General Minister John Thomas declined to meet with Iranian Prez. Ahmadinejad, saying he’s “not convinced” that the meetings are effective.

He says: “To the contrary, I fear the occasion can and will be used by President Ahmadinejad to claim legitimacy and support for himself by an association with respected United States religious leaders. I respect the sponsoring organizations’ intent for dialogue, but fear that the more likely outcome is sowing confusion and disappointment among our own members and, in particular, the American Jewish community.”

Read the whole statement here.

Look for our story on the peace churches that did meet with Ahmadinejad later today.