War is no solution, stop arms race, pope tells G20

(ANSA) - Vatican City, July 7 - Pope Francis told world leaders that war "is never a solution" and called for an end to all "useless slaughters" in his message for the G20 summit in Hamburg, which the Vatican released on Friday. "The goal of the G20 and of other similar annual meetings is to resolve economic differences peacefully and to agree on common financial and trade rules to allow for the integral development of all," he said. "Yet that will not be possible unless all parties commit themselves to substantially reducing levels of conflict, halting the present arms race".