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Ärende: Vatican Information Service - Press Release
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                               VIS-Press releases

STABLE PEACE IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION OF AFRICA

VATICAN CITY, DEC 19, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father, through Cardinal Secretary
of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., sent a Message to Mwai Kibaki, president of
the Republic of Kenya and current president of the International Conference on
the Great Lakes Region, which held its second session in Nairobi, Kenya, on
December 14 and 15.

Heads of State and government from 11 countries in the Great Lakes region
attended the session, as did representatives from neighboring or associated
States. The Holy See delegation was led by Archbishop Luigi Travaglino,
apostolic nuncio, acting as special envoy.

"The present summit," writes Cardinal Bertone in the English-language Message,
"is called to take up again the challenge and satisfy the long- suffering
populations' yearning for lasting peace by signing and bringing to fulfillment
the Pact on Security, Stability and Development.

"The four aspects envisaged in this plan (peace and security, democracy and
good government, economic development and regional integration, social and
humanitarian promotion) are interwoven and mutually inclusive. None of these
human achievements can subsist, in a lasting and genuine form, without the
support of the others. They will require from all those involved - authorities
and citizens alike - generosity, courage and perseverance.

"The Catholic Church," he adds, "attaches great importance to the values
enshrined in these proposals and for many years has dedicated her untiring
commitment to them. His Holiness is confident that the Catholic community will
continue to do so with generous zeal, in cooperation with members of other
religions and all men and women of good will."

Benedict XVI, the secretary of State continues, "encourages all the delegations
present at this conference to assume courageously their historic
responsibility. His prayers will accompany them as they seek to agree upon and
put into place the concrete measures that would decisively discourage any
recourse to violence, and foster the only rational and human alternative to
war: negotiation and dialogue. He is confident that on the basis of a genuine
and stable peace, the Great Lakes region with its human and natural resources,
and the support of the international community, can overcome its present
difficulties and offer its people the genuine hope of a dignified future."

At the end of the conference session, the bishops of the Great Lakes released a
final declaration, also in English, in which they highlight the problems of the
region, "including political instability in some areas, violence as a result of
negative ethnicity, poverty and many others.

"Due to violence leading to loss of human lives," they add, "some of our people
have been left divided and without hope. Therefore, this initiative of our
heads of State and government offers a chance to initiate the process of
healing, which the Church fully endorses and commits itself to promote leading
our people to forgive and reconcile with one another in the interest of
peaceful co-existence now and in the future.

"We call upon all those concerned to ensure equitable distribution of resources
at the national and regional levels. We challenge ourselves to be pro-active so
that we can be able to foresee and forestall explosive negative situations.
This way we shall save our region from exhaustive wars and other negative
experiences.

"We urge our political leaders to nurture a culture of tolerance, patience and
forgiveness," the bishops conclude. "We urge them to be sensitive to the plight
of the majority of people when their differences of opinion plunge different
countries into political instability. While we pray for them, we again urge
prudence and wise discretion. We urge our lay people to take up the challenge
of their calling and mission. This is to be the salt of the earth. They are to
take up their rightful roles in the society including the political and
administrative offices."
MESS/GREAT LAKES REGION/NAIROBI:BERTONE VIS 061219 (640)

SUMMARY

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