Addressing a UN conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (1968), a Vatican diplomat condemned attacks on nuclear facilities.
Msgr. Robert D. Murphy, Chargé d’Affaires of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations, said on May 5 that the “Holy See recalls the longstanding consensus within the international community that armed attacks on nuclear facilities must never take place, as they could result in radioactive releases with serious consequences for the affected State and beyond.”
Without mentioning by name the recent Ukrainian attack on a Russian-occupied nuclear plant, or last year’s U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, Msgr. Murphy said:
Recent events have drawn attention to the seriousness of such risks, including the potential for radioactive releases with far-reaching humanitarian and environmental consequences. Against this backdrop, the Holy See draws attention to both the immediate and long-term impacts of nuclear activities, including uranium mining and radioactive waste.