in 1995, he participated at the World Conference on Women in Beijing, echoing John Paul's positions in his Letter to Women. He has been on diplomatic mission to Côte d'Ivoire to settle disputes there. Roman Curia On 1 October 2002, Martino was named President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. In November 2003, he championed the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to alleviate world hunger at a conference that he organized to consider the morality of GMOs, which troubled critics concerned about the risks they pose to the environment and heath. Martino was elevated to the College of Cardinals in the consistory of 21 October 2003 becoming cardinal deacon of S. Francesco di Paola ai Monti. Martino was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI. In December 2003, reacting to U.S. treatment of Saddam Hussein, including the release of video showing his teeth being inspected "like a cow", he said: "I felt pity to see this man destroyed. Seeing him like this, a man in his tragedy, despite all the heavy blame he bears, I had a sense of compassion for him." On 6 November 2006, after Hussein had been sentenced to death, Martino said that "... punishing a crime with another crime – which is what killing for vengeance is – would mean that we are still at the point of demanding an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth..." He pleaded for clemency for Hussein and called for a peace conference aimed at solving all the major conflicts in the Middle East and reiterated his position that the invasion of Iraq by U.S.-led coalition was wrong. Martino was named President of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants on 11 March 2006. In November 2006, Martino called plans by the Bush administration to construct an additional 700 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border "an inhumane program". He also said that Muslims in Europe should respect local laws restricting the wearing of certain types of veils. He said: "It seems elementary to me and it is quite right that the authorities demand it." He said they "must respect the traditions, symbols, culture and religion of the countries they move to". On 14 June 2007, Martino urged Catholics to withhold donations from Amnesty International after the organization decided in April