Human rights must be reaffirmed, he added, "lest there prevail partial and subjective visions of humanity that risk leading to new forms of inequality, injustice, discrimination and, in extreme cases, also new forms of violence and oppression."
Francis emphasized that "politics must be farsighted and not limited to seeking short-term solutions," noting that political leaders "should listen to the voices of their constituencies and seek concrete solutions to promote their greater good."
"Yet this," he said, "demands respect for law and justice both within their national communities and within the international community, since reactive, emotional and hasty solutions may well be able to garner short-term consensus, but they will certainly not help the solution of deeper problems; indeed, they will aggravate them."
The Holy See has diplomatic relations with 183 states, as well as the European Union and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Of these, 89 states maintain embassies to the Holy See in Rome.
The pope told the diplomatic corps that "fidelity to the spiritual mission" of Christ's command to the Apostle Peter to "feed my lambs," impels him and thus the Holy See "to show concern for the whole human family and its needs, including those of the material and social order."
The Holy See "has no intention of interfering in the life of States," he stressed, but wants to be an attentive and sensitive listener to the issues involving humanity; "the same concern leads the Church everywhere to work for the growth of peaceful and reconciled societies."