CSDC 437

Universal respect of the principles underlying “a legal structure in conformity with the moral order” ⁸⁹⁶ John XXIII, Encyclical Letter Pacem in Terris: AAS 55AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 55 (1963) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1963), 277. is a necessary condition for the stability of international life. The quest for such stability has led to the gradual elaboration of a “right of nations” ⁸⁹⁷ Cf. Pius XII, Encyclical Letter Summi Pontificatus: AAS 31AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 31 (1939) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1939), 438-439; Pius XII, Christmas Radio Message (24 December 1941): AAS 34AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 34 (1942) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1942), 16-17; John XXIII, Encyclical Letter Pacem in Terris: AAS 55AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 55 (1963) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1963), 290, 292. (“ius gentium”), which can be considered as “the ancestor of international law”.⁸⁹⁸ John Paul II, Address to the Diplomatic Corps (12 January 1991), 8: L'Osservatore Romano, English edition, 14 January 1991, p. 3. Juridical and theological reflection, firmly based on natural law, has formulated “universal principles which are prior to and superior to the internal law of States”,⁸⁹⁹ John Paul II, Message for the 2004 World Day of Peace, 5: AAS 96AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 96 (2004) at vatican.va — list of its scanned parts (2004), 116. such as the unity of the human race, the equal dignity of every people, the rejection of war as a means for resolving disputes, the obligation to cooperate for attaining the common good and the need to be faithful to agreements undertaken (pacta sunt servanda). This last principle should be especially emphasized in order to avoid “temptation to appeal to the law of force rather than to the force of law”.⁹⁰⁰ John Paul II, Message for the 2004 World Day of Peace, 5: AAS 96AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 96 (2004) at vatican.va — list of its scanned parts (2004), 117; cf. also John Paul II, Message to the Rector of the Pontifical Lateran University (21 March 2002), 6: L'Osservatore Romano, 22 March 2002, p. 6.