U.N. Address Denied
Separately, the Vatican denied that the Pope had planned to make a personal address to the United Nations Security Council if his envoy failed to deter Bush from going to war. "There are no plans for the Holy Father to visit the United Nations," a spokesman told journalists.
Earlier a Vatican diplomatic source had said that if Pope Paul failed to convince Bush, he would be ready to go to New York to address the U.N. Security Council personally. This has now been denied by the Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls.
But observers noted that the Vatican earlier also denied initial reports that the pope was sending a special envoy to Washington. Pope Paul has repeatedly warned that a war would only add to the misery of the Iraqi people and appealed for "just decisions."
He firmly opposes Bush's view that an assault on Iraq would be a just war. The Pontiff believes such a development could escalate into confrontation between Western and Islamic civilizations.
Separately, the Vatican denied that the Pope had planned to make a personal address to the United Nations Security Council if his envoy failed to deter Bush from going to war. "There are no plans for the Holy Father to visit the United Nations," a spokesman told journalists.
Earlier a Vatican diplomatic source had said that if Pope Paul failed to convince Bush, he would be ready to go to New York to address the U.N. Security Council personally. This has now been denied by the Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls.
But observers noted that the Vatican earlier also denied initial reports that the pope was sending a special envoy to Washington. Pope Paul has repeatedly warned that a war would only add to the misery of the Iraqi people and appealed for "just decisions."
He firmly opposes Bush's view that an assault on Iraq would be a just war. The Pontiff believes such a development could escalate into confrontation between Western and Islamic civilizations.