“The situation is tragic and needs to find a way out. For too long, Syria has been in the grips of conflict. Hopefully, with the change there’s been with the US election, a negotiated solution will be found as the Holy See has always asked for”. This was stated to SIR by the Secretary of State of His Holiness, cardinal Pietro Parolin, as he spoke at the international conference “Damascus – A prism of hope”, which ended in Rome yesterday and was promoted by the Pontificio Istituto Orientale (Pio) to commemorate its hundredth anniversary. Speaking while at the meeting, the Secretary of State insisted: “There’s no chance to solve the Syrian crisis through weapons. The military situation is only causing more pain and suffering to people. We ask for a negotiated solution”. In addition, the Church will keep playing its part. In this respect, cardinal Parolin explained, “the appointment of the nuncio to Damascus, Zenari, as cardinal at the forthcoming Consistory will further increase the diplomatic efforts of the Holy See. The Holy Father’s choice – the cardinal stated – mainly concerns the person, who wanted to stay and share a state of deep pain, the tragic time that the Church and all the population are going through in Syria. At the same time, it is a new message of interest in the situation. What can come out of it? We don’t know, hopefully this can help a negotiated solution too”. Card. Parolin also said words of sympathy for Christians in the Middle East and Syria: “We can say we are on their side. The Holy See is doing all it can to help them out of this situation. We show them the support and prayer of the Church, and of course our efforts”.