Pope congratulates Nobel Prize winner, praises efforts of nuclear disarmament

Vatican City, Dec 11, 2005 / 22:00 pm

On Saturday, the Pope extended his personal congratulations to Mohamed El Baradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and winner of the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize.

In a telegram, Pope Benedict offered his congratulations to the IAEA, and El Baradei, who was presented with the award in Oslo, Norway over the weekend.

The Holy See is a founding member of the IAEA.

The Holy Father wrote that, "Even today, sixty years after the devastating attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it is clear that the peace of the world continues to be at risk from the spread of nuclear weapons.”

“The service that you have given to the international community by promoting nuclear non-proliferation and by contributing to the process of nuclear disarmament deserves the highest commenda­tion.”

“I pray”, the Pope concluded, “that God will continue to guide the efforts of all who work for peace and especially those who seek to prevent any further use of weapons of mass destruction."