The Holy See will not join the so-called “Board of Peace”, an initiative promoted by the US administration, after analyzing the proposal over the past weeks. This was confirmed this Tuesday by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, during the bilateral meeting held in Rome with the Italian Government on the anniversary of the Lateran Pacts, as reported by Vatican News.
At the end of January, the Vatican had indicated that it was studying the invitation to join this international body oriented toward crisis management, especially in the context of Gaza. Now, the official position is defined: there will be no participation.
A decision based on the proper nature of the Holy See
Parolin explained that the refusal responds to the particular nature of the Holy See, distinct from that of States. He pointed out that there are “critical issues” that generate reservations, especially in relation to the existing multilateral framework.
The Secretary of State recalled that, in the international sphere, it is primarily the United Nations that manages global crises, a point that the Vatican considers relevant in its discernment.
International context and concern for Ukraine
During his statements, Parolin also expressed concern about the situation in Ukraine, as the fourth anniversary of the start of the conflict approaches. He acknowledged a climate of pessimism in the face of the lack of significant advances toward peace and expressed scant expectations about immediate results from the ongoing talks.