VN-Vatican working group convenes meeting

Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (R) and Vatican Under-Secretary for Relations with States Antoine Camilleri, Vatican, June 12-14, 2013 - Photo: VGP

Vatican Under-Secretary for Relations with States Antoine Camilleri and Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son co-chaired the round of meetings.

The Vietnamese side stressed that the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the State of Vietnam pursue the perfection of policies that respect and ensure religious freedom for all people, as well as encouraging all religions in general and the Viet Nam Catholic Church in particular to actively engage in socio-economic development and national construction.

The Vatican side highly valued the relevant Vietnamese agencies for facilitating the Viet Nam Catholic Church’s activities over the past time, especially the 10th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences in Xuan Loc and Ho Chi Minh City in December, 2012, as well as the visits made by Vatican non-resident Special Envoy to Viet Nam, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli.

The Holy See stressed the desire to develop Viet Nam–Vatican ties and the need to appoint a Vatican Special Envoy to Viet Nam for the two sides’ benefits.

The two sides shared their view that Viet Nam–Vatican ties have developed positively in the spirit of goodwill and constructive dialogue and respecting principles in their relations. The Vatican non-resident Special Envoy to Viet Nam will continue receiving favorable conditions to fulfill assigned tasks.

Both sides agreed to conduct the fifth round of meetings in Ha Noi with the specific time to be arranged through diplomatic channels.

During the visit, the Vietnamese delegation paid a courtesy call to Vatican Secretary for Relations with States Dominique Mamberti./. - VNA