Pax Christi International Statement on Seeking Dialogue and Diplomacy with Iran
To the Secretary General of the United Nations
To the President of the USA
To the Heads of States of the European Union
The global Catholic peace movement of Pax Christi International, gathered for the Triennial World Assembly in Belgium in November 2007, expresses extreme concern, about the preparations for a war of aggression against an additional state in the Middle East and the violence and turmoil it will unleash.
We are particularly alarmed by the posture of the U.S. and other governments of threats and intimidations towards Iran instead of a posture of dialogue and negotiation. As can be clearly seen in Iraq, war unleashes a spiral of violence, death, and destruction.
Given that the global Catholic peace network was founded in a gesture of reconciliation between French and German people following World War II, we renounce the concept of “preventive war” on theological, ethical and political grounds, and affirm that dialogue and cooperative arrangements must replace the failed policy of relying on military solutions. Such dialogue and diplomacy is urgently needed.
Therefore,
We call on the U.S. Administration to step back from the brink of war and end all threats, actions or plans for war against Iran.
We call upon the governments of the U.S. and Iran to immediately open direct talks on all issues of immediate concern, to both parties.
We call on all other governments, and especially to the European Union, to clearly and openly distance themselves from the U.S. intimidation against Iran.
We affirm and support the effort of U.S. interfaith leaders to call on their government to dialogue with Iran and we commit to supporting their efforts with our own governments.
Our nascent century has seen far too much bloodshed in its first seven years. We elevate and reaffirm the plea of His Holiness Pope John Paul II, “War no more. War never again.”
Executive Committee Pax Christi International
Belgium, 3 November 2007
