VATICAN CITY (Sputnik) — On Thursday and early Friday, Spain's Barcelona and Cambrils faced two van ramming attacks, which have killed 15 people and left over 130 more injured. On Friday, two people were killed and eight others were injured in a knife attack in Turku, Finland.
"Only when the major powers on the world stage recognize that cooperation for the common good is the main value to be attained, [then] wide alliances, including against the evil of fundamentalist terrorism, will be able to be implemented. In order to defeat evil, understanding and a sincere desire to do good are necessary," Parolin said speaking of Moscow's proposal to create a common anti-terrorist front together with Western countries.
According to Vatican’s secretary of state, one of the tasks of the churches is to encourage such efforts and such a mindset.
Answering a question about why Russia is often seen and presented in the West as a rival, if not an enemy, Parolin noted the general deterioration of the climate in international relations.
"I believe that politicians should take into account this very negative consequence that is caused, first of all, by actions that infringe upon the rights of others. And this is the message that the Holy See does not tire of repeating: that mutual respect and sincere dialogue in relations between states must stand above the interests of individual states, even when such behavior may, for various reasons, not be very popular among segments of the population of their own country," Parolin stressed.
Parolin is arriving in Russia on Sunday and will leave on Thursday. He is expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill.
