Today, the Pope met with the Prime Minister of Vietnam. The Vatican statement:
This morning, Thursday January 25, 2007, Nguyen Tan Dang, prime minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, was received in audience by the Holy Father Benedict XVI. He subsequently went on to meet Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.
The Holy See expressed its satisfaction for the visit, which marks a new and important step towards the normalization of bilateral relations. Those relations have, over the last few years, made concrete progress opening new spaces of religious freedom for the Catholic Church in Vietnam.
In the course of the discussions, attention turned to the problems that remain which, it is hoped, will be faced and resolved through existing channels of dialogue and will lead to a fruitful cooperation between Church and State, so that Catholics can, ever more effectively, make a positive contribution to the common good of the country, to promoting moral values, in particular among the young, to spreading a culture of solidarity and to charitable assistance in favor of the weaker sectors of the population.
Furthermore, opinions were exchanged on the current international situation, with a view to a joint commitment in favor of peace and of negotiated solutions to the serious problems of the present time.
This was the first time that a prime minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has met the Holy Father and the highest authorities of the Secretariat of State.
The issues discusses at the meeting are those that have historically motivated Vietnamese government to be more open towards the Catholic Church after years of persecution.
Hanoi now realises that Catholic morality can be of service to the country which is suffering the effects of unbalanced rapid economic development, corruption and a rush for material success at any cost.
The meeting between Benedict XVI and the Vietnamese premier, who subsequently met Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone, lasted 25 minutes.
Journalists present at the public part of the event said that it took place in a particularly cordial atmosphere.
Mr Tấn Dũng was accompanied by an eight-member delegation that included four ministers and Ngo Yen Thi, head of the Vietnam’s Commission for Religious Affairs.
In response to a question about the possibility that the Vatican and Vietnam may establish normal diplomatic relations, a spokesperson for Vietnam’s foreign ministry said that it would all depend on today’s meeting.
One of those “problems that remain,” according to the senior Vatican diplomat, is how new bishops in Vietnam are named. Under the current arrangement, the Vietnamese government essentially holds a veto power over episcopal nominees. The Vatican proposes a name, and the government says “yes” or “no.” The back-and-forth continues until the government gives its approval. The senior diplomat said that it is not uncommon for the Vietnamese to balk at the first or second names, but not always, so it’s not possible simply to hold your true top pick until the second or third pass – by that time, he said, you might already have a bishop.
Over the long term, this Vatican diplomat said, such a system is not acceptable.
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