Pope may mediate Karabakh settlement – Vatican envoy

Ekspress, Baku
12 Jun 04

Ekspress on 12 June headlined “The Pope wants to be a mediator as well”

“Pope John Paul II may be a mediator in the settlement of the Karabakh
conflict,” the Vatican’s ambassador to the South Caucasus, Apostolic
Nuncio Claudio Gugerotti, told journalists yesterday. He recalled
that the Pope has been playing a major role in the settlement of
conflicts in “the whole world”.

“This is the second time that John Paul II has offered his mediation to
Azerbaijan and Armenia,” Gugerotti said. He called on the conflicting
sides “to express a decisive position on the issue before it is too
late”. Gugerotti added that the Vatican could make its positive
contribution to the just settlement of the conflict “without any
religious, racial and ethnic segregation”.

“One should appreciate this proposal. We are against shedding innocent
blood in any part of the world. We are ready to mobilize our all
goodwill efforts to prevent this,” he added.

Asked by our Ekspress correspondent whether “the Vatican recognizes
Armenia as an aggressor”, Gugerotti said that in issues of this kind,
he prioritizes “only general interests”: “And the interest here must
be a settlement to the Karabakh conflict.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress