Pope marks 50th anniversary of Cold War-era deal on security, human rights
At the end of his general audience, history's first American pope said that August 1 marks the anniversary of the conclusion of the 35-nation summit in Finland that resulted in the Helsinki Final Act, which years later helped give birth to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Renewing his appeal for peace in the world, Leo said: 'Today, more than ever, it is imperative to cherish the spirit of Helsinki, persevere in dialogue, strengthen cooperation and make diplomacy the preferred way to prevent and resolve conflicts." At the height of the Cold War detente in the 1970s, Finnish President Urho Kekkonen hosted a US-Soviet summit where US President Gerald Ford, Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and others signed a watershed commitment to peace, East-West contacts, European security and human rights.
Leo said the agreement had 'inaugurated a new geopolitical season, favouring a rapprochement between East and West. It marked a renewed interest in human rights with particular attention to religious freedom, considered one of the fundamentals of the nascent architecture of cooperation from Vancouver to Vladivostok." With Russia's war raging in Ukraine, Leo recalled that the Holy See had sent a delegation to the Finnish summit headed by future secretary of state Archbishop Agostino Casaroli, best known for promoting and pursuing a policy of Ostpolitik, or openness and dialogue with Eastern Europe.
'While I entrust the victims to God's loving mercy, I pray for the wounded and for Christians who around the world continue to suffer violence and persecution, exhorting all those with responsibility at the local and international level to collaborate to prevent similar tragedies," he said.
Wednesday's general audience marked the resumption of Leo's weekly encounter with the faithful following a weeks-long summer break. St Peter's Square was particularly full, given the arrival of tens of thousands of pilgrims in town for a weeklong Holy Year celebration for young Catholics. (AP) NPK NPK
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments
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July 30, 2025, 16:15 IST
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