Pope to speak on nuclear threat as Vatican hosts disarmament summit

Pope Francis was expected on Friday to speak out against the threat of nuclear war as the Vatican hosted an international conference on disarmament.
Eleven Nobel Peace laureates, campaigners, representatives of the UN, NATO, Russia, U.S., South Korea, Iran and a survivor of the Hiroshima bomb were taking part in the two-day talks.
“The event responds to the priorities of Pope Francis to take action for world peace,” Cardinal Peter Turkson, who will lead the conference, said in a statement.
The pope was not due to personally follow the conference, but is scheduled to give an audience to participants and give an official address at around 12:30 pm (1130 GMT).