Holy See’s representative at UN calls for ban on chemical, nuclear weapons

October 23, 2013

Addressing the United Nations’ First Committee, which discusses disarmament and international security, the Vatican's representative at the United Nations called for a ban on chemical and nuclear weapons.

“The willingness of the world as a whole to move forward in a constructive manner to eliminate nuclear weapons has never been more evident,” Archbishop Francis Chullikatt said on October 22. “Yet a very small number of states stand in the way, trying to block progress and to find a comprehensive solution to the problem that goes on year after year in paralysis and obfuscation.”

“It is sadly ironic that States vociferous in their condemnation of chemical weapons are silent on the continued possession of nuclear weapons,” he continued. “The international community must appeal and act with one voice to ban all weapons of mass destruction.”

“A better world awaits us if we reduce the excessively high military spending and if we set aside part of military expenditures for a world fund to relieve the needs of developing and least developed nations,” he added, citing an encyclical of Venerable Paul VI. “We must end myopic militarism and concentrate on the long-range needs of the human family.”

 

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Further information:

• Intervention of Archbishop Francis Chullikatt (Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations)
• ‘Globalization of indifference’ no option, says speaker as First Committee probes degree to which stalled progress symptomatic of institutional failings (United Nations)