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Pope marks 50th anniversary of Cold War-era deal on security, human rights

Pope marks 50th anniversary of Cold War-era deal on security, human rights

ROME: Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday called for a renewed commitment to diplomacy to resolve conflicts as he marked the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Accords, the landmark Cold War-era agreement that ushered in a new era of security and human rights.
At the end of his general audience, history's first American pope said that August 1 marks the anniversary of the conclusion of the 35-nation summit in Finland that resulted in the Helsinki Final Act, which years later helped give birth to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Renewing his appeal for peace in the world, Leo said, "Today, more than ever, it is imperative to cherish the spirit of Helsinki, persevere in dialogue, strengthen cooperation and make diplomacy the preferred way to prevent and resolve conflicts."
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