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| Pope greets world's ambassadors on January 13 |
Towards the end of August last year, President Obama was intent on firing missiles at Syria in response to the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime. News reports indicated that the attack against Syria was imminent. The coalition of western nations in favor of the attack was growing quickly. But it was never carried out. The British Parliament refused to support the military action, and Obama was facing a nation that was tired of constant war. Also, not to be overlooked, at the Vatican 100,000 people gathered to pray and fast for peace.The new and very popular Pope Francis was proving that he was a factor to be reckoned with.
The Syrian civil war is a topic that is very important to the Vatican. They have been a loud voice calling for a negotiated peace. On December 28, 2013 Assad sent a high level delegation to the Vatican to deliver a personal message to Pope Francis. On January 13, 2014 they held a one day meeting to discuss peace in Syria. Many notable people attended the meeting including former British prime minister and Quartet envoy Tony Blair and former Egyptian vice president Mohamed ElBaradei. Now the Vatican has been given a seat at Geneva II. Tomorrow, January 22, they will send Monsignor Silvano Tomasi, the Holy
See's representative to the United Nations and Monsignor Alberto
Ortega Martin, an official from the Vatican's Secretariat of State to Geneva to participate in the negotiations to end the Syrian civil war. The Vatican will be there, Iran will not.
Vatican to appeal for reconciliation at Syrian peace conference
Geneva, Switzerland, Jan 21, 2014 /
04:01 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis' continual focus on the
Syrian civil war will contribute to the Holy See playing a key role
at the “Geneva II” international peace conference, due to start
tomorrow, Jan. 22.
The Geneva II meeting aims at a
political settlement to the Syrian conflict, providing for a
transitional government in the country which has been mired in
conflict since March, 2011. The conference will include
representatives of both the Bashar al-Assad government and opposition
groups, as well as foreign diplomats.
The Holy See's role in the Syrian peace
process was acknowledged in the decision of Assad to send a
high-level delegation to the Vatican Dec. 28 to deliver a personal
message to Pope Francis. The delegation was composed of Joseph Sweid,
minister of state, and Hussam Eddin Aala, ambassador to the Holy See.
The two met with Archbishop Pietro
Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, and Archbishop Dominique
Mamberti, Secretary for Relations with States.
According to Sana, the news agency of
the Assad regime, the president appreciates Pope Francis' efforts for
peace, and reiterated that the crisis can be solved through a
dialogue among Syrians, without external intervention.
Geneva II will gather representatives
of the Assad regime; leaders of the Syrian National Coalition, an
exiled opposition group; and foreign diplomatic leaders from the
U.S., the U.K., France, Germany, Russia, and Saudi Arabia.
Iran, a close ally of the Assad regime,
had been invited to participate. However, that invitation was
rescinded after strong protests from the U.S. and the Syrian National
Coalition following Iran's rejection of the call for a transitional
government.
The Syrian National Coalition and the
Assad regime seem to be at an impasse over Assad's role in any
possible transitional government. A third of the coalition boycotted
a vote last week over its involvement in the Geneva talks, and
several other opposition groups have refused to participate.
At Geneva II, the Holy See will
maintain its position, seeking dialogue and reconciliation among
conflicting parties; preservation of the integrity and unity of
Syria; and respect for minorities in the region.
The Holy See will also urge the world
leaders to stop the flow of arms into Syria, and press for an
immediate and complete cease-fire without political pre-conditions.
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