wfn.org | WCC NEWS: N Korea nuclear test highlights need to abolish all nuclear weapons

["WCC Media" <Media@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches - News Release

Contact: +41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org
For immediate release - 25/05/2009 16:04:21

N KOREA NUCLEAR TEST HIGHLIGHTS NEED TO ABOLISH ALL NUCLEAR

>WEAPONS

At a time when the international community is re-kindling the
vision of a world free of nuclear weapons, the North Korean
nuclear test is a source of profound concern, stated the World
Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia.

"The World Council of Churches is deeply troubled by North
Korea's nuclear test and profoundly concerned for the people of
North Korea and surrounding countries", Kobia said in a public
comment on 25 May. 

"There is no place for nuclear arsenals in international affairs
– whether by a country like North Korea or by the eight other
self-appointed nuclear powers that would have others believe
their security requires weapons of mass destruction", he added. 

Praising the "remarkably positive meeting" on the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty held at the United Nations ten days ago,
Kobia stressed: "It is unfortunate that North Korea was not
there; neither were Pakistan, India or Israel."

The governing bodies of the WCC have repeatedly called on all
states to join in negotiations and efforts towards the
elimination of nuclear weapons. WCC member churches in every
region of the world have consistently condemned nuclear weapons
as a sin against God and humankind. 

Full text of the WCC general secretary comment:
http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=6834

>WCC work on nuclear arms control:
>http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=3255

Additional information:

Juan Michel +41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith,
witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical
fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings
together 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches
representing more than 560 million Christians in over 110
countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic
Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, from
the Methodist Church in Kenya. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.