2008-10-11 16:53:55

Holy See Calls for Human Approach to Disarmament


(October 11, 2008) Disarmament should have a human approach, says the Holy See, since the human person is the ultimate aim of all public policies. Thus, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, urged the 63rd U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, to approach non-proliferation and disarmament with an interdisciplinary approach. "Without considering the social, economical, psychological and ethical impact of armaments, policies on disarmament and non-proliferation become a game of armed truce between states," he said. "Indeed," Archbishop Migliore added, "we realize a conflict emerging between security and military policies. The international community strives to fight nuclear terrorism with the adoption of stringent norms banning the production, possession and transfer of such arms; but, on the other hand, not a few states pursue the renewal or the acquisition of nuclear arsenals at the national level. Consequently a kind of conflict between security policies and development appears to emerge as well." "This contradicts the spirit of the United Nations and is not the way to build a durable and lasting peace. Arms regulation, nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation are key elements for a global strategy in favour of human rights, development and international order," he affirmed. Nevertheless, the Holy See representative noted, last spring in Dublin, the Convention on Cluster Munitions was adopted and the Holy See is "particularly pleased with this achievement." He added that “the Holy See calls upon the international community for a greater sensitivity and more efforts in promoting the peaceful coexistence and survival of the entire human family, and believes that the best formula for success is cooperation and partnership between states, the United Nations, international organizations and civil society."







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