US diplomat looks for ‘common ground’ with Holy See

January 09, 2013

Following Pope Benedict’s annual ‘state of the world’ address, a US diplomat serving at the Vatican told Vatican Radio that the United States seeks “common ground” with the Holy See.

Mario Mesquita, chargé d'affaires and deputy chief of mission, spoke of “our diplomatic efforts, in finding common ground, finding areas where we have similar common interests, and where, in a partnership, we feel we can be effective and that we can move forward on these … fundamental rights of human dignity that the Holy See and the Holy Father stand so much for, and that the United States does as well.”

“If you look at a place like Syria, I think that we both noted with much concern the increase in violence and the increase in brutality of that conflict, and I think that is one of the many places we can work together in the near term to help enhance human rights, human dignity, and bring peaceful solutions to world conflict,” said Mequita, the highest-ranking US diplomat at the Holy See since Ambassador Miguel Díaz’s departure in November.

 

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Further information:

• United States in "partnership" with the Holy See (Vatican Radio)
• Plea for peace in Syria headlines Pope's 'State of the World' address (CWN, 1/7)