Pope warns of ‘domino effect’ from war

NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan: Pope Francis on Thursday sounded the alarm over the "domino effect" of conflict on international relations at the end of a religious summit that urged leaders to refrain from warmongering.

"Peace is urgent, because any military conflict or outbreak of tension and confrontation today can only have an adverse ‘domino effect’ and gravely threaten the system of international relations," the pope said.

The 85-year-old pontiff issued the warning at the end of the seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. The inter-faith gathering, held every three years, brought together around 100 delegations from 50 countries.

In a final statement, the meeting urged leaders "to abandon all aggressive and destructive rhetoric which leads to destabilization of the world, and to cease from conflict and bloodshed." The 35-point declaration made no reference, however, to the nearly seven-month conflict in Ukraine.