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Friday, May 17, 2002

PEACE IS THE FIRST PRIORITY OF ALL COUNTRIES


VATICAN CITY, MAY 17, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father received collectively this morning the Letters of Credence of eight new ambassadors to the Holy See. The Pope spoke in French to all the diplomats, but handed each one of them a speech, in which he addressed specific questions about their country.

The new ambassadors are: Vladimir R. Korolve of Belarus; Amadou Toure of Niger; Fredrik Vahlquist of Sweden; Jullapong Nonsrichai of Thailand; Euloge Hinvi of Benin; Abdelbasit Badawi Ali Elsanosi of Sudan; Horour H. Bjarnason of Iceland and Dina Kawar of Jordan.

"Peace," he said, "must be the first priority for all countries and on all continents, so that armed conflicts cease, as they only jeopardize the future of nations and populations, some of which are subjected to degrading and unworthy conditions of life. No one can be disinterested in the future of his brothers and sisters and act as if they did not know."

John Paul II emphasized that, "there are, without a doubt, two essential elements upon which it is important to insist together: dialogue and negotiations among the protagonists, called to live together in the same land and, on the other hand, the phenomena of globalization and of the growing contrast between rich and poor nations that creates ever-more striking inequalities. In the long term, peace means that less-advanced countries benefit from economic growth and appropriate aid. The first perspective must be to sustain local economies and to form people who will be in charge tomorrow of the future of their national community, and to thus reach the autonomy necessary for the country."

"Inequality among peoples challenges us unceasingly and must be for everyone the object of particular attention. ... In fact, peace goes along with the eradication of misery, the suppression of disparities among peoples. Likewise, it implies education for all. Young generations, especially sensitive to dramatic situations, need great signs so that their hopes are not in vain."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAY 17, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Four prelates from the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop German Trajano Pavon Puente of Ambato.
- Bishop Antonio Arregui Yarza of Ibarra, apostolic administrator of Tulcan.
- Bishop Climaco Jacinto Zarauz Carrillo of Azogues.
- Bishop Miguel Angel Aguilar Miranda of Guaranda.
- Community of the Abbey of Heiligenkreuz, Austria.
- Cardinal Francis Arinze, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue.

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IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, MAY 17, 2002 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:

- Bishop Adolfo Luigi Bossi, O.F.M.Cap. former prelate of Sao Jose do Grajau, Brazil on May 8 at the age of 93.
- Bishop Jose Maria Cases Deordal, emeritus of Segorbe-Castellon de la Plana, Spain on April 21 at the age of 82.
- Bishop Tiago Postma, emeritus of Garanhuns, Brazil on May 8, 2002 at the age of 69.
- Bishop Osorio Willibaldo Stoffel, O.F.M., emeritus of Rondonopolis, Brazil on May 10 at the age of 80.
- Bishop Pierre Wadih Tayah of Nuestra Senora de los Martire del Libano en Mexico dei Maroniti, Mexico on May 4 at the age of 74.

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