It is also consistent with humanity's responsibility to protect the sanctity of human life.

We recall with reverence the visit of the late Holy Father to Sri Lanka in 1995.

In 2003, he was made a Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester by His Holiness, Pope John Paul II.

It is recommended that the Eleventh Congress observe a minute of silence for the late Pope John Paul II and the late Prince Rainier III of Monaco.

Mr. Rock (Canada) I first want to record Canada's sorrow at the death of His Holiness Pope John Paul II.

That fact led to the observation by the late Pope John Paul II that Lebanon is more than a country Lebanon is a message.

They covered themselves with unfading glory, and the names of many of them will be written in gold in the history of the most sacred of wars  the Patriotic War.

At the 31st meeting, on 4 April 2005, the Commission observed one minute of silence in connection with the death of His Holiness, Pope John Paul II.

While most of the world may have missed it, there is an ongoing competition between Iraq s Najaf and Iran s Qom over which city is holier.

Mr. Duclos (France) (spoke in French) My delegation would like to express its condolences to the Permanent Observer of the Holy See on the passing of His Holiness Pope John Paul II.

Mr. Zarif (Islamic Republic of Iran) We share the overwhelming sense of loss felt around the globe on the passing away of His Holiness Pope John Paul II.

The United Nations was set up primarily to stop all acts that could violate the sanctity and dignity of human life including the self serving application of science and technology.

Mr. Aho Glele (Benin) (spoke in French) First, we would like to express our sincere condolences to the international Catholic community on the passing of His Holiness Pope John Paul II.

The time they spend in ensuring that personal freedoms are sacrosanct, is probably nil, and the time they consumed even discussing changing their own bylaws in order for them to be more effective is zero.

Mr. Mackay (New Zealand) May I associate New Zealand with the expressions of condolence that have been made on the passing away of His Holiness Pope John Paul II and His Serene Highness, sovereign Prince Rainier III of Monaco.

Mr. Dapkiunas (Belarus) (spoke in Russian) I would like first of all to offer our condolences on the passing of His Holiness Pope John Paul II and of His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III of Monaco.

As His Holiness Pope John Paul II underlined, it is based on the cooperation of one person with another not one person against another and on unity prevailing over divisions.

Mr. Butagira (Uganda) Permit me to join those who have spoken before me in mourning the untimely deaths of His Holiness Pope John Paul II and His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III of Monaco.

Mr. Vohidov (Uzbekistan) (spoke in Russian) Allow me at the outset, on behalf of the Government and the people of Uzbekistan, to express our profound condolences on the occasion of the passing of His Holiness Pope John Paul II and on the occasion of the passing of His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III.

Mr. Requeijo Gual (Cuba) (spoke in Spanish) My delegation associates itself with the condolences expressed in this Hall on the passing of His Holiness Pope John Paul II and of His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III of Monaco.

Mr. Kariyawasam (Sri Lanka) It is with deep sorrow that my country learned of the passing away of His Holiness Pope John Paul II, who eloquently expressed loving kindness, compassion and sympathy to the world as a messenger of peace.

Mr. Jenie (Indonesia) Let me begin by expressing the condolences of the people and the Government of Indonesia to the Holy See on the passing of His Holiness Pope John Paul II, who died last week.

Only recently, it seems, has the Saudi regime discovered the great soft power that its custodianship of Mecca and Medina Islam s holiest sites provides.

Mr. Oshima (Japan) On behalf of the Government and people of Japan, allow me first to express our heartfelt condolences upon the passing away of His Holiness Pope John Paul II and His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III of the Principality of Monaco.

Welcoming also the historic Jubilee 2000 pilgrimage of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to the Holy Land, his landmark visit to the holy sites in Bethlehem and the important message delivered by the Pontiff at Manger Square,

This proved too much for one Iranian legislator, Akbar Alami, who publicly questioned Ahmadinejad s judgment, saying that even Islam s holiest figures have never made such claims.

Mr. Beck (Solomon Islands) First, Palau wishes to associate itself with the expressions of condolence, sympathy and sadness for the loss to the world of His Holiness Pope John Paul II and His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III of the Principality of Monaco.

Ms. Gallardo (El Salvador) (spoke in Spanish) Allow me at the outset to express, on behalf of the Government and the people of El Salvador, and on my own account, our most sincere and most heartfelt condolences to the Holy See on the passing of the Supreme Pontiff, His Holiness Pope John Paul II.

Mr. Adekanye (Nigeria) I would like to begin my remarks by expressing the deepest condolences of the people and the Government of Nigeria to the Holy See on the passing of His Holiness Pope John Paul II, and also to the Principality of Monaco on the death of His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III.

Mr. Motoc (Romania) Before all else, allow me, on behalf of Romania, to join in the expression of heartfelt condolences at the passing of His Holiness Pope John Paul II, the first pope ever to have visited a predominantly Orthodox country such as mine.

Since the very start of the emergency, His Holiness Pope John Paul II has expressed his deepest sympathy and has committed the agencies of the Catholic Church to act in a genuine gesture of solidarity with all peoples, without exception, in each nation touched by that enormous tragedy.

Mr. Baatar (Mongolia) At the outset, I would like to express the sincere condolences of my delegation to the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See on the passing of His Holiness Pope John Paul II, and to the Permanent Mission of the Principality of Monaco on the sad demise of His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III.

Mr. Kim Sam hoon (Republic of Korea) At the outset, I would like, on behalf of the Republic of Korea, to join other delegations in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope John Paul II and His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III of the Principality of Monaco.

Before proceeding with the agenda, the Chairman expressed to the representative of the Holy See the condolences of the Executive Committee for the loss of His Holiness Pope John Paul II, whom he described as one of the most remarkable men our time, a spiritual leader who fought with immense faith and profound conviction for world peace and human dignity.

The Pope had earlier in 1165 authorized the first missionary Bishop of Estonia to be appointed, and was a close acquaintance of both Eskil, the Archbishop of Lund, and Stefan, the Archbishop of Uppsala, who both had spent time with him in France where he had been exiled in the 1160s.

Our era is probably much more religious than the eighteenth century ever was. To invoke Voltaire is one thing, I thought at the time, but to act responsibly may presuppose refraining from insulting what is most sacred to others, whether it be Christ, Muhammad, or the Shoah.