Vatican
City, 18 September 2013 (VIS) – Archbishop Dominique Mamberti,
secretary for Relations with States, spoke at the 57th General
Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (AIEA), held in
Vienna on 16 September.
The
prelate mentioned that “this year marks the 50th Anniversary of the
Papal Encyclical “Pacem in Terris” of Blessed Pope John XXIII”
and remarked, “we should ask ourselves whether we really live in a
more secure and safer world today compared with that of a few decades
ago”.
“The
Holy See shares the thoughts and sentiments of most men and women of
good will who aspire to the total elimination of nuclear weapons.
Hence, we would like to use this opportunity to renew our call upon
the leaders of nations to put an end to nuclear weapons production
and to transfer nuclear material from military purpose to peaceful
activities”.
The
archbishop insisted upon the importance of nuclear disarmament and
non-proliferation from a humanitarian point of view, and expressed
“the Holy See's deep concern about the recent tragic developments
in the Middle East”, restating “its strong support for the
efforts to establish a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and
all other weapons of mass destruction. Nuclear-weapon-free zones are
the best example of trust, confidence and affirmation that peace and
security are possible without possessing nuclear weapons”.
He
concluded his address by referring to recent negotiations on Iran's
nuclear programme, and emphasized the Holy See's firm conviction that
“the present difficulties can and must be overcome through
diplomatic channels, making use of all the means that diplomacy has
at its disposal, and considers it necessary to overcome the various
obstacles which objectively impede mutual trust.
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