A Vatican study group is urging world leaders to stop the flow of arms into Syria and to press for an immediate and complete cease-fire there without political preconditions. “Political transformation is needed,” its written statement said, but “it is not a precondition for ending violence; rather it will accompany the cessation of violence and the rebuilding of trust.” Once greater trust and cooperation are built, “new political forms in Syria are needed to ensure representation, participation, reform and the voice and security of all social groups,” it said. The statement was based on discussion during a day-long, closed-door workshop hosted on Jan. 13 by the Pontifical Academy for Sciences. The statement, addressed to Pope Francis, was also meant to help inform leaders taking part in U.N.-backed peace talks scheduled to begin in Geneva on Jan. 22.
Vatican Group: Stop Arms to Syria
Show Comments (
)
Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.
The latest from america
At a Mass for the Jubilee of Youth outside Rome, Pope Leo exhorted over a million young people to be "seeds of hope" and a "sign that a different world is possible."
Perhaps it is the hard-won wisdom that comes with age, but the Catholic rituals and practices I once scorned are the same rituals and practices that now usher me into God's presence, time and time again.
"Only through patient and inclusive dialogue" can "a just and lasting conflict resolution can be achieved" in the long-running conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, said the Holy See's permanent observer to the United Nations.
The ”Bad Guys” films ask, how do we determine who the “bad guys” are? And if you’re marked as “bad” from the start, can you ever make good?