Pope condemns Iraq war proposal

Pope John Paul condemned on Monday a possible war in Iraq, saying it could still be avoided and that it would be a defeat for humanity.

He made clear his opposition in his yearly "State of the World" address to diplomats accredited to the Vatican.

"No to war! War is not always inevitable. It is always a defeat for humanity," he said.

"And what are we to say of the threat of a war which could strike Iraq, the land of the Prophets, a people already sorely tried by more than 12 years of embargo?," he said.

"War is never just another means that one can choose to employ for settling differences between nations."

He said international law and diplomacy were the only worthy means to resolve differences.

"As the Charter of the United Nations organisation and international law itself remind us, war cannot be decided upon, even when it is a matter of ensuring the common good, except as the very last option and in accordance with very strict conditions, without ignoring the consequences for the civilian population both during and after the military operations," he said.

The pope said he had been struck recently by a "feeling of fear" in the hearts of people. He said the world was threatened not only by war but also by "an insidious terrorism capable of striking at any time and anywhere."

"Yet everything can change. It depends on each of us," he said.

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