VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis, in his annual “state of the world” address called on Monday for all nations to support dialogue to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula and to work for a legally binding ban on nuclear weapons.
In the speech, Francis also repeated his call for a two-state-solution between Israelis and Palestinians and respect for the “status quo” of Jerusalem following U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize the city as Israel’s capital.
“It is of paramount importance to support every effort at dialogue on the Korean peninsula, in order to find new ways of overcoming the current disputes, increasing mutual trust and ensuring a peaceful future for the Korean people and the entire world,” Francis said.
The pope addressed envoys from more than 180 countries a day before North Korea and South Korea are due to hold talks expected to address North Korea’s participation in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, which some diplomats see as a possible opening for discussions on other topics such as humanitarian issues and divided families. Earlier this month, after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un asserted that he had a nuclear button at the ready, Trump tweeted that the U.S. button was bigger and more powerful. (Reuters)