DIALOGUE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO BUILD A TRULY DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY

VATICAN CITY, JUN 10, 2003 (VIS) - On the occasionm of the 33rd General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), which will take from June 8-10 in Santiago, Chile, Cardinal Angelo Sodano sent a letter to Maria Soledad Alvear Valenzuela, president of the assembly and foreign affairs minister of the Chilean Republic.

In the letter, dated June 7 and published today, Cardinal Sodano conveys the Holy Father's recognition of OAS' "intense diplomatic activity in the field of the consolidation of democracy and the solution of conflicts."

He continued: "The members of the OAS, however, ... are conscious that the promotion and consolidation of democracy occurs through the elimination of poverty and everything that is a cause or consequence of it: illiteracy, violence, crime, terrorism, corruption, arms and drug trafficking, while not forgetting other social problems such as discrimation, racism, intolerance, lack of respect for human rights."

The cardinal secretary of State underscores that "dialogue, which is the strength of democracy, must be the credo of politicians. Through dialogue, the riches of some become the patrimony of everyone and mistakes can be corrected before it is too late. With dialogue, the foundations of a better and truly democratic society are laid."

Referring to the family, Cardinal Sodano recalls that OAS "has always defended it as the basic cell of society and continues to believe in it, despite the difficulties that it is experiencing. ... Concern for the stability of the institution of the family is the State's duty, also through legislation that promotes families and does not penalize them."

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