Dec. 19, 2022 (EIRNS)—A group of political and social leaders from around the world today issued an open letter to Pope Francis, supporting the Pope’s offer to use the venue of the Vatican for immediate negotiations between Russia and Ukraine for a diplomatic settlement of the war in Ukraine. Coming off an organizing process among current and former legislators that was initiated two months ago by the Schiller Institute, the open letter is part of a growing chorus of voices internationally urging an immediate ceasefire, a Christmas Truce for all, as a first step towards a full, negotiated peace.
In comments to colleagues today, Schiller Institute founder Helga Zepp-LaRouche stated that the strategic crisis continues to dramatically worsen—as captured by Scott Ritter in his latest article, “A Lexicon for Disaster” —and that the Vatican initiative may well be the only option left on the table.
The following is the full text of that open letter to Pope Francis:
His Holiness Pope Francis
Apostolic Palace
00120 Vatican City
Your Holiness,
Greetings from the grouping of Political and Social Leaders of the World To Stop the Danger of Nuclear War, initiated by the Schiller Institute in Germany.
We have met on three occasions to discuss the impending danger of nuclear war and global Armageddon resulting from the war between Ukraine and Russia, with a view to taking whatever action necessary to stop the war and to bring peace.
On 17 November 2022, our group issued a Declaration To Stop the Threat of Nuclear War, signed by legislators and former legislators from Latin America, the United States, Europe, the Caribbean, and Africa.
In that declaration, we highlighted Your Holiness’s call for a negotiated, peaceful solution. We further welcome Your Holiness’s offer of the Vatican as a possible neutral ground for peace talks—without any preconditions—between Russia and Ukraine. Our group wishes to support this initiative in any way we can, including gathering together all who wish for peace and the prevention of nuclear war.
We note that others in Europe and the United States have also offered venues for the Russian and Ukrainian leadership to negotiate peace. We believe it is urgent to unify all such efforts into a globe-spanning movement to bring resolution to this conflict, taking into consideration the valid security interests of all parties.
In that spirit, we hereby sign this letter to indicate that support, and call on other political and social leaders around the world, regardless of differences in ideology or religious faith, to add their signatures as well.
We intend to convene a Fourth Seminar of Political and Social Leaders of the World To Stop the Danger of Nuclear War in early 2023 to further this push for peace and to stop the danger of nuclear war, and we extend an invitation to a representative from the Vatican to attend.