Vatican speaks out against the arms race

The head of the Vatican delegation to the Third Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty conference held in Vienna last week appealed once again for an end to the arms race. Mgr Pietro Parolin began his speech on Friday by conveying Pope John Paul's greetings to the assembly. He said: "in sending me here, (the Pope) wishes to renew his appeal for a common and generous effort for peace and security." He said that that the Holy See, "by ratifying the Treaty on July 18, 2001, intended precisely to advance the promotion of a culture of peace based on the primacy of law and on respect for human life." Mgr Parolin said: "close international cooperation and a multilateral approach are essential in order to face the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction to peace and international security. ... A so-called 'peace' based on nuclear weapons cannot be the type of peace we seek for the 21st century. The present state of the non-proliferation regime and of nuclear disarmament indicates that many still believe in the use of force and rely on nuclear weapons. This means, unfortunately, that the force and primacy of law, as well as trust in others and the will to dialogue, have not yet become priorities." "The Holy See wants to speak for many people of good will who strive to make the world a safer place and not to engage in a new arms race." Source: VIS