The second meeting of the Vietnam-Vatican Joint Working Group was held in the Vatican on June 23-24. The Vietnamese delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Cuong, and the Vatican delegation by Undersecretary for Relations with States Ettore Balestrero.

Both sides reviewed the progress after their first meeting in Hanoi in February 2009 and exchanged views on international issues, bilateral relations and issues relating to the Vietnam Catholic Church.

Mr Cuong reaffirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of respecting people’s rights to freedom of religion and belief, as well as the legal system to exercise these rights.

The Vatican acknowledged the view and proposed that the government continue to create conditions for the church to effectively take part in national development, especially in the areas of religion, education, health, social affairs and charity. It also called on followers to be good citizens and strive for the common interests of the nation.

Both sides acknowledged the encouraging development of Catholicism in Vietnam, especially the Catholic Jubilee Year 2010. They recalled the Pope’s teachings during a recent visit to Ad Lumina by the Vietnam Catholic Church and his message to the church in the Jubilee Year 2010 and agreed that the teachings will serve as guidelines for the church in the coming years. 

They spoke highly of the marked progress in bilateral relations after the first meeting, citing the meeting between Vietnamese State President Nguyen Minh Triet and Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican in December 2009.

They also exchanged views on diplomatic ties, agreeing that the Pope will initially designate his non-resident envoy on Vietnam to strengthen relations between the Vatican and Vietnam, as well as between the Vatican and the Vietnam Catholic Church.

They agreed to convene the third meeting in Vietnam and the time will be arranged through diplomatic channels.

During its stay, the Vietnamese delegation paid a courtesy visit to the Vatican Foreign Minister Dominique Mamberti, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples Cardinal Ivan Dias, and visited the Roman Catholic Church and Paediatric hospital Bambino Gesu in Rome.

(Source: VOVNews)