Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States speaks against the use of nuclear weapons while attending the 66th session of the Internation Atomic Energy Agency, and also he thanked the IAEA for their work in fighting cancer and in bettering other aspects of life.
Archbishop Gallagher expressed the Holy See’s appreciation towards the Director General for his “tireless efforts to help secure the safety and security of nuclear facilities in Ukraine and prevent what Pope Francis recently called ‘a nuclear disaster.'”
He continued by noting that “amid the dreadful conflicts and unrest which we witness in many parts of the world, and in face of the continuing escalation of the war in Ukraine, with words and actions that risk to leave less space for diplomatic solutions, we must never abandon the search for dialogue.”
Archbishop Gallagher explained that dialogue can nourish critical, rational and objective thinking and that it helps us to “counter false prejudices”.
This is a very uncertain moment, one in which the threat of nuclear weapons has come back to haunt us, said the Archbishops Secretary of State.
“The Holy See appeals to all nations to silence all weapons and eliminate the causes of conflicts through tireless recourse to dialogue and negotiation.”
“The Holy See has no doubt that a world free from nuclear weapons is both necessary and possible,” continued Archbishop Gallagher.
He noted that the Holy See signed and ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons “with the aim of moving beyond nuclear deterrence to a world entirely free of nuclear weapons, affirming that nuclear weapons are arms of mass and environmental destruction.”
However, there is “very slow progress being made on the disarmament agenda,” lamented Archbishop Gallagher, and with that in mind, though “we might be tempted to lose hope” we must not be deterred by setbacks.
“We must press ahead with perseverance and determination in our common efforts to achieve the elimination of nuclear weapons. We must make every effort to avoid dismantling the international architecture of arms control, especially in the field of weapons of mass destruction,” stressed Archbishop Gallagher.
In conclusion, said Archbishop Gallagher, the Holy See reiterates its “sincere gratitude and affirms its unwavering support for the IAEA’s many contributions to nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, as well as to the safe, secure, and peaceful use of nuclear technology.”