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Pope Francis I makes call for dialogue in international disputes

"It’s important for those who bear responsibility for the destinies of nations to make courageous and urgent efforts towards stopping these harsh trials," he said

YEREVAN, June 24. /TASS/. Pope Francis I, who is visiting Armenia, has called for dialogue in the process of settling international disputes. He made the appeal on Friday night at a meeting with President Serzh Sargsyan.

"Common efforts should be made to give preference to dialogue in international disputes, to a persistent and frank search for peace, to permanent efforts by international organizations aimed at building an atmosphere of trust and attaining concord," Francis I said.

"As we have in front of our eyes the calamitous aftermaths that hatred, prejudices and the untamed desire to rule left over in the past century, we wish wholeheartedly that humankind would be able to draw lessons those tragic ordeals," he said.

"Today the Christians - and probably even to a greater degree than in the times of early martyrs - fall victim to discrimination in many places," Francis I said. "They become targets of persecutions because of the faith they espouse."

He indicated that numerous conflicts in various parts of the world continue unabated, bringing grief and devastation in their wake and coercing whole peoples to wandering.

"It’s important for those who bear responsibility for the destinies of nations to make courageous and urgent efforts towards stopping these harsh trials," Francis I said.