Washington D.C., United States of America . Wednesday, 5 March 2003.
I was privileged to have been
sent by the Holy Father as his Special Envoy to President George Bush. I assured him of
the Holy Fathers great esteem and affection for the American people and the United
States of America.
The purpose of my visit was to
deliver a personal message of the Holy Father to the President regarding the Iraqi crisis,
to expound upon the Holy See's position and to report on the various initiatives
undertaken by the Holy See to contribute to disarmament and peace in the Middle East.
Out of respect for the
President and because of the importance of this moment, I am not in a position to discuss
the substance of our conversation, nor am I able to release the text of the personal
letter of the Holy Father to the President.
The Holy See is urging those
in positions of civil authority to take fully into account all aspects of this crisis. In
that regard, the Holy Sees position has been two-fold. First, the Iraqi government
is obliged to fulfill completely and fully its international obligations regarding human
rights and disarmament under the UN resolutions with respect for international norms.
Second, these obligations and their fulfillment must continue to be pursued within the
framework of the United Nations.
The Holy See maintains that
there are still peaceful avenues within the context of the vast patrimony of international
law and institutions which exist for that purpose. A decision regarding the use of
military force can only be taken within the framework of the United Nations, but always
taking into account the grave consequences of such an armed conflict: the suffering of the
people of Iraq and those involved in the military operation, a further instability in the
region and a new gulf between Islam and Christianity.
I want to emphasize that there
is great unity on this grave matter on the part of the Holy See, the Bishops in the United
States, and the Church throughout the world.
I told the President that
today, on Ash Wednesday, Catholics around the world are following the Popes request
to pray and fast for peace this day. The Holy Father himself continues to pray and hope
that all leaders who face difficult decisions will be inspired in their search for peace. |