Participants of the International Luxembourg Forum’s Conference in Rome Meet with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin

(VATICAN, June 5, 2019) Participants of the International Luxembourg Forum’s conference in Rome, leading experts in nuclear security, nuclear arms reduction, control and non-proliferation from the United States, Russia, France, Sweden, Canada, Australia and other countries were received by the Vatican Secretary of State His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, as part of the dialogue and joint initiatives of the Luxembourg Forum and the Holy See.

Heads of five major international organizations dealing with nuclear arms control issues (the Nuclear Threat Initiative, the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, Global Zero, the Russian International Affairs Council, and James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (United States)) attended the meeting.

President of the Luxembourg Forum Dr. Viatcheslav Kantor thanked Cardinal Parolin for his consistent position in counteracting the global nuclear threat, which, as he said, may encourage key global leaders to resume a constructive dialogue for the sake of global security.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin confirmed the Holy See’s concerns about the issues of nuclear arms control, underscored the need of their maximum limitation and minimizing the risk of their use, and affirmed the Holy See’s commitment to strengthen global security and develop a multilateral dialogue to prevent the threat of nuclear catastrophe.

The Luxembourg Forum delegation visited the Vatican City during its two-day conference which is taking place in Rome.

“I am convinced that the unique intellectual potential of the participants of our conference can ensure a breakthrough in various areas of preventing a nuclear catastrophe,” noted the President of the Luxembourg Forum Dr. Viatcheslav Kantor. “All our proposals are aimed at ensuring the success of the 2020 NPT Review Conference. Amid the erosion of the strategic stability principles, adoption of these proposals shall contribute to the start of a new stage in preventing the collapse of nuclear arms control.”