Nuclear disarmament should be final goal, Vatican delegate tells international atomic agency

September 23, 2014

Speaking to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at a meeting in Vienna, the Vatican’s representative said that while efforts to control the proliferation of nuclear weapons are vitally important, the final goal should be complete worldwide nuclear disarmament.

Archbishop Antoine Camilleri, the Vatican’s undersecretary for relations with states, said that the Holy See fully supports the IAEA’s efforts to curb nuclear proliferation. That work is “paramount for all humankind, he said. He added that greater use of modern media might help to stir up greater support for the cause. However, the archbishop continued, the more ambitious goal of global nuclear disarmament “ought not to be considered unrealistic.” Archbishop Camilleri also encouraged the IAEA to pursue work to ensure the safety of nuclear power plants, “doing everything humanly possible to prevent accidents at nuclear facilities and minimizing any consequences should an accident occur.”

 

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Further information:

• The Holy See at the 58th Conference of the IAEA: nuclear disarmament is a realistic objective (VIS)