Vatican Official Repeats: No War without UN Approval
Speaking on Vatican Radio, the archbishop– who was formerly the permanent observer for the Holy See at the UN– “this crisis cannot be resolved except through the United Nations.” He said that the UN’s resolution #1441 provides the basis for a resolution, and urged world leaders to give UN inspectors time to complete their work. “We have seen that Iraq is beginning to cooperate,” Archbishop Martino said.
Asked about the possibility that Saddam Hussein might be persuaded to go into exile, the archbishop said: “That could be the better solution, it would only go so far, because we cannot predict what would happen” after Saddam’s departure. Last week, a Scottish newspaper reported that Vatican diplomats were seeking to negotiate Saddam’s departure into exile; the Vatican has denied that report.
The Vatican official added that UN resolutions should be made without undue pressure from powerful nations. “If all countries are equal at the UN,” he said, “they should all have the freedom to make decisions according to their own judgment.” He complained that “it is not right for the great powers to put pressure on the small states.”
Archbishop Martino’s remarks on Vatican Radio were among the few public statements made by leading Vatican officials this week. Most members of the Roman Curia have set their work aside to participate in the annual Lenten Retreat, which concludes on Saturday morning.
