UN: Vatican opposes nuclear testing
This was reported by Vatican News.
"Eighty years ago," the prelate noted, "the first detonation of a nuclear weapon introduced the world to unprecedented destructive force. This event changed the course of history and cast a long shadow over humanity, leading to grave consequences for both human life and the whole of creation. The devastating results of this tragic event gave rise to the dubious belief that peace and security can be maintained through the logic of nuclear deterrence, and this concept continues to challenge moral reasoning and international conscience," the archbishop said.
The Vatican representative recalled that since the first test on July 16, 1945, more than two thousand tests have been conducted in the atmosphere, underground, in the oceans, and on land.
The Holy See called for reflection on the urgent and shared responsibility to ensure that these horrific experiments are stopped: "It is particularly concerning that, in the face of this important and shared responsibility, the global response appears to be moving in the opposite direction. Instead of advancing disarmament and a culture of peace, we are witnessing an escalation of aggressive nuclear rhetoric, the development of increasingly destructive weapons, and a significant increase in military expenditures, often at the expense of investment in integral human development and the promotion of the common good. It is essential to overcome the spirit of fear and submission. As Pope Leo XIV recently stated: "We must never become accustomed to war. Indeed, the temptation to place our trust in powerful and sophisticated weapons must be firmly rejected."
"The Holy See," Gabriele Giacca concluded, "once again emphasizes the importance of the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, together with the full implementation of the international monitoring system and its verification mechanisms." The Holy See has once again confirmed its unconditional support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and called for "the continued strengthening of the global norm against nuclear explosive testing as an essential step toward genuine and lasting peace."
