Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States and
head of the Holy See delegation to the fifty-sixth General Conference of
the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), addressed that
gathering, which met in the Austrian capital Vienna from 17 to
21 September.
"Global security must not rely on nuclear weapons", the
archbishop said in his English-language remarks.
"The Holy See
considers the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) an important
tool to achieve this aim, without mentioning its potential civil and
scientific application through its International Monitoring System. ...
The Holy See is convinced that, in working together, the signature,
ratification and entry into force of the Treaty will represent a great
leap forward for the future of humanity, as well as for the protection
of the earth and environment entrusted to our care by the Creator."
"Also
in this regard", he added, "the ratification on the part of all States,
in particular nuclear-weapon States, of the respective Protocols to the
Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones Treaties is of paramount importance. The Holy
See restates its strong support for the efforts to establish such a
zone in the Middle East and remains hopeful for the discussions that
will take place on this topic in Finland. Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones are
the best example of trust, confidence and affirmation that peace and
security are possible without possessing nuclear weapons".
"An
important issue affecting not only the IAEA family, but the human family
at large, is the topic of nuclear safety. ... What transpired at the
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station quickly revealed that a local
nuclear crisis is indeed a global problem. It also revealed that the
world is exposed to real and systemic risks, and not just hypothetical
ones, with incalculable costs, and the necessity of developing
international political coordination the likes of which have never been
seen, thus raising many questions".
"The Technical Cooperation
Programme of the Agency is one of the principal instruments for
transferring nuclear science and technology to member States in order to
promote social, economic and integral development. Its initiatives,
when tailored to the needs of the recipient States and their partners in
the context of national priorities, help to combat poverty and can thus
contribute to a more peaceful solution of the serious problems facing
humanity".
In this context Archbishop Mamberti mentioned the role of
radiation therapy in cancer treatment, at the same time noting that "in
the developing world, more than half of the number of patients suffering
from cancer will not have access to radiotherapy due to the lack of
appropriate equipment and sufficiently trained staff. ... The Holy See
appreciates the work and efforts of the IAEA and its partners in the
planning and furthering of cancer-control programmes and encourages the
IAEA to continue to pursue and strengthen these eminently important
activities".