Vatican: Alarming Situation in Syria, Hope for a Future Based on Respect for All

Cardinal Pietro Parolin (pictured), secretary of state of the Holy See, expressed “strong concern about what has happened so quickly in Syria,” where “the regime of former President Bashar al-Assad, which seemed so solid a few days ago, was toppled” at the hands of jihadist rebels.

The Vatican’s diplomatic chief expressed hope that “whoever takes over will be able to create a government that respects all.”

“I think we’re all concerned about what’s happening in Syria, also because of the speed at which these events have unfolded. It is difficult to understand what is happening,” Cardinal Parolin told reporters on the sidelines of an event at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome. For Parolin, among the priorities, as always, is dialog. “Let’s now see what scenarios open up. It may be too early to expect that,” Parolin said, emphasizing that “we had some expectations about respect for Christian communities, so we really hope that in the future there can be respect for everyone.” There is hope that “those who come to power will also try to create a regime that is open to and respectful of all.”

While Damascus is holding its first meeting to form a new transitional government, the Holy See continues its work of dialogue and diplomacy despite the absence of “formal roles,” the Cardinal clarified, emphasizing that “in Ukraine, for example, there is no beginning of any type of formal negotiation, but we use every situation to find conditions that will allow us to start a dialogue and solve the problem in the sense of a ceasefire, in the sense of releasing hostages in the Middle East, in the sense of humanitarian aid, etc. These are all areas on which we are moving.”