Pope wants nuke diplomacy
2006-04-16 16:50
Vatican City - Pope Benedict, in his
first Easter message, called on Sunday for an "honourable
solution" to the nuclear standoff with Iran, a truly independent
Palestinian state, and global co-operation to combat terrorism.
The Pope, speaking on his 79th birthday, made his appeal for
world peace in his Easter "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the
world) message to nearly 100 000 people as he concluded the
first Easter season of his pontificate.
The Pope, who marks the first anniversary of his election on
Wednesday, led a joyful Easter mass in a sunny St Peter's Square
on the most important day of the Christian liturgical calendar,
when the faithful celebrate Christ's resurrection from the dead.
In the speech, televised to millions of viewers in more than
65 countries at the end of Easter Sunday mass in the square, he
listed his worries about problems facing the world, particularly
in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.
"Concerning the international crises linked to nuclear
power, may an honourable solution be found for all parties,
through serious and honest negotiations..." he said in a clear
reference to Iran, which announced last week it had become a
nuclear power by enriching uranium.
The United States wants targeted sanctions on Iran that
include a freeze on assets and visa restrictions.
In another part of the speech, the Pope defended Israel's
right to exist, a passage which appeared to be an indirect
criticism of statements by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
that the Jewish state should be eliminated.
Palestinian homeland
But he also called firmly for the establishment of a
Palestinian state.
"May the international community, which re-affirms Israel's
just right to exist in peace, assist the Palestinian people to
overcome the precarious conditions in which they live and to
build their future, moving towards the constitution of a state
that is truly their own," he said in the part of his address
dedicated to peace in the Middle East.
In other parts of the "Urbi et Orbi" address, the Pope
expressed his concern over terrorism, as he has already done
several times since his election on April 19 2005 to succeed
the late Pope John Paul.
"May the leaders of nations and of international
organisations be strengthened in their will to achieve peaceful
coexistence among different races, cultures and religions, in
order to remove the threat of terrorism," he said.
Mentioning Iraq, he prayed "may peace finally prevail over
the tragic violence that continues mercilessly to claim
victims".
The Pope also prayed that the spirit of the risen Christ
bring relief and security to Africa, particularly the people of
Darfur in western Sudan, who he said were "living in a dramatic
humanitarian situation that is no longer sustainable".
Chad broke diplomatic ties with neighbouring Sudan on Friday
and warned that it might stop sheltering thousands of Sudanese
refugees who have crossed the border to escape an ethnic
conflict in the Darfur region.
This is the first Easter for the 1.1 billion member Roman
Catholic Church since the death of Pope John Paul, who was in
his final days a year ago and was only able to make brief
appearances in the week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday.
John Paul died on April 2, a week after Easter.
- Reuters