JOHN PAUL II RECEIVES TEN NEW AMBASSADORS TO THE HOLY SEE

VATICAN CITY, DEC 6, 2001 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father collectively received Letters of Credence from ten new ambassadors to the Holy See one of whom, the Swiss ambassador, is on special mission. At the close of his address, the Pope gave each of the diplomats a letter written in their own language and dealing with matters specific to their particular countries.

The new ambassadors are Toufiq Ali of Bangladesh, Barkat Gourad Hamadou of Djibouti, Antti Hynnien of Finland, Zemede Tekle Woldetatios of Eritrea, Amiran Kavadze of Georgia, Seymour Rehaulele Kikine of Lesotho, Christine Nyinawumwami Umutoni of Rwanda, Mohunlall Goburdhun of Mauritius, Moussa Coulibaly of Mali and Hansrudolf Hoffman of Switzerland.

"Today more than ever," said John Paul II, speaking French in his address to the ambassadors, "our contemporaries are touched by the fear that arises from both the unstable situation of our world and uncertainty over the future. The impression is that many people are unable to peacefully plan their future, especially the young who are disconcerted by the dramatic events they see unfolding in the world of adults."

The Pope said that leaders of nations and their representatives must "commit themselves to an ever greater degree and ever more intensely to the path of international dialogue and cooperation so as to eradicate the sources of conflict and tensions between different groups and nations. No specific matter - which must always be resolved by negotiated solutions - can bypass the respect due to individuals and peoples."

"Your mission as ambassadors," he went on, "consists in serving both the noble cause of your countries and the noble cause of peace. ... We must constantly recall that the injustices experienced by our contemporaries (such as poverty and the lack of education for the young) lie at the origin of a large number of the focal points of violence in the world. Justice, peace, the fight against misery and against the lack of spiritual, moral and intellectual formation of the young are essential aspects of the compromise to which I call the leaders of nations, the diplomatic services and all men and women of good will."

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