c. 1999 Religion News Service

VATICAN CITY _ Pope John Paul II, in what is likely to be his last major foreign policy address of the 20th century, appealed Monday (Jan. 11) for”an awakening of consciences”to the urgent need to protect human rights and guarantee universal religious freedom.

John Paul addressed the ambassadors of 169 countries with full diplomatic relations with the Vatican and the heads of the special missions of Russia and the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Although the pope frequently speaks out on international issues, his speech at his annual audience for members of the Vatican diplomatic corps is his broadest and most important foreign policy pronouncement of the year.

He made a special point of calling on the international community to press for talks between Serbia and ethnic Albanians in Kosovo and said the recent crisis over Iraq”has shown once more that war does not solve problems.” Reviewing events of recent months, the 78-year-old Roman Catholic pontiff said he found”some grounds for rejoicing”in the peace processes in Ireland and Spain, an end to hostilities between Ecuador and Peru and steps the European Union has taken to establish monetary union and enlarge its membership with countries of Eastern Europe.

But he deplored continued conflict and instability in the Balkans and the Middle East, ethnic struggles in Sri Lanka, military conflict in 17 of the 53 countries of Africa, and the spread of nuclear and conventional arms.”The risks to peace arising from social inequalities and artificial economic growth cannot be underestimated,”he added.”The financial crisis that has shaken Asia has shown the extent to which economic security is comparable to political and military security, inasmuch as it calls for openness, concerted action and respect for specific ethical principles.” The pope also expressed”painful concern about the all too numerous violations of religious freedom in today’s world.”He accused even European governments of impeding the church from playing its full role in society.”In the face of these problems, which are familiar to you,”he told the diplomats,”I wish to share with you a conviction, which I firmly hold: during this final year before the year 2000, an awakening of consciences is essential.” John Paul said there is no lack of international norms and conventions to protect human rights.”What is lacking is the will to respect and apply them,”he said.

Quoting from the message he issued for World Day of Peace on Jan. 1, John Paul said,”When the violation of any fundamental human right is accepted without reaction, all other rights are placed at risk.”This applies to all of law, he said. “International law cannot be the law of the stronger, nor that of a simple majority of states, nor even that of an international organization. It must be the law which is in conformity with the principles of the natural law and of the moral law, which are always binding upon parties in conflict and in the various questions in dispute,”the pope said.

John Paul pledged that the Roman Catholic Church, along with”communities of believers in general,”will strongly support all those”who strive to make the supreme good of law prevail over all other considerations.”It is likewise necessary for believers to be able to make themselves heard and to take part in public dialogue in the societies of which they are full members,”he said.”This leads me to share with you, as the official representatives of your states, my painful concern about the all too numerous violations of religious freedom in today’s world.” John Paul cited recent violence against Roman Catholics and church property in India and Africa and”grave forms of discrimination”against all non-Muslims in some Islamic countries. In an apparent reference to Saudi Arabia, one of the most strict in terms of barring Christian and other non-Islamic religions, he said:”There is even one country where Christian worship is totally forbidden and where possession of a Bible is a crime punishable by law.”This is all the more distressing,”he said,”because, in many cases, Christians have made a great contribution to the development of these countries, especially in the area of education and health care.” The pope also accused governments of Western Europe as well as the former Soviet bloc of compromising religious freedom.”In certain countries of Western Europe,”he said,”one notes an equally disturbing development which, under the influence of a false idea of the principle of separation between the state and the churches or as a result of a deep-seated agnosticism, tends to confine the churches within the religious sphere alone and finds it difficult to accept public statements from them.”Finally, some countries of Central and Eastern Europe have great difficulty in acknowledging the religious pluralism proper to democratic societies and attempt to limit, by means of a restrictive and petty bureaucratic practice, the freedom of conscience and religion which their constitutions solemnly proclaim.” (BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM _ STORY MAY END HERE)

John Paul challenged both individuals and governments to remember the”lessons of history”and apply the already existing”valuable juridical instruments”to ensure universal religions freedom.”As I recall religious persecutions either long past or more recent,”he said,”I believe that the time has come at the end of this century to ensure that everywhere in the world the right conditions for effective freedom of religion are guaranteed.”This requires, on the one hand, that each believer should recognize in others something of the universal love which God has for his creatures. It requires, on the other hand, that the public authorities also _ called by vocation to think in universal terms _ should come to accept the religious dimension of their fellow citizens along with its necessary community expression.”

DEA END POLK