Holy See to Sign Convention Banning Landmines
VATICAN CITY, DEC 1, 1997 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following declaration this morning:
"The conference for the signing of the Convention banning anti-personnel landmines will take place in Ottawa, Canada, from December 2 to 4.
"The Holy See, which has participated in all of the preparatory meetings, will not only be present, but will also sign the Convention. With this act, it wishes to bring its moral support to a Convention which must be considered as a new and important element of humanitarian law.
"The pontifical delegation will be composed of: Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States, who will sign the Convention, Archbishop Carlo Curis, apostolic nuncio in Canada, Msgrs. Alain Lebeaupin, nunciature counsellor, and Vita Rallo, secretary of the apostolic nunciature, Sr. Helen Paradis, and Joseph Gunn."
OP/ANTI-PERSONNEL LANDMINES/NAVARRO-VALLS VIS 971201 (150)