Serbian Ambassador reacts to Diplomatic Speech of Pope Francis

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis gave his first annual address to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See on Monday. During his speech, he remarked on the 100^th anniversary of the beginning of the First World War.

He quoted his predecessor of the era, Pope Benedict the Fifteenth, who told European leaders to make “the moral force of law” prevail over the “material force of arms” in order to end the “needless carnage”.

The Balkan region was the flashpoint at the beginning of the First World War, and has suffered many conflicts since.

“Fortunately, after the tragedies in the 90’s of the last century - and the breakup of Yugoslavia and the civil war that followed – fortunately, for the last 10- 15 years… things are improving in that part of Europe,” said Mirko Jelić, the Serbian Ambassador to the Holy See.

“We are now witnessing more and more cooperation among the countries of Southeast Europe,” he told Vatican Radio.

“Not only in the economic field, which was obviously one of the fields where it was a bit easier to start with the cooperation, but also in the field of culture,” he said. “There are many things that link us: There are many common things, whether one likes to admit it or not.”

Ambassador Jelić said the process of European integration will help stabilize the peace in the region.

“Basically what is really important is a) there is no war, and there are no conflicts anymore, and b) I would say -I am venturing to suggest - we have finally learned that we can solve whatever problems we have among ourselves by a dialogue, by talking one to another, by trying to make this one step forward, rather than one backward, yet again,” he said.

Listen to the full interview by Charles Collins with Ambassador Jelić: