HANOI (UCAN): Vu Chien Thang, Vietnam’s deputy home minister, said that Vatican-Vietnam ties will develop further in the coming days and there is a plan for a papal visit. He said Vietnam and the Vatican respect each other to work towards a friendly relationship.
Vu said the bilateral agreements both the parties signed recently are based on a road map and international conventions, Đảng Cộng Sản Việt Nam [http://www.dangcongsan.vn] reported on March 6. The thaw in relations saw the appointment of Archbishop Marek Zalewski as the first resident pontifical representative to Vietnam last December.
Amid media reports about a possible papal visit to Vietnam this year, Vu said that the government is happy to receive Pope Francis.
“The pope considers dialogue between the Holy See and Vietnam a model of mutual trust,” he said.
Vu, a former head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, said the ties would create favourable conditions for the local Church to integrate with the universal Church.
The relationship between both sides “is developing well,” he noted. The minister added that the government would ensure people’s rights to practice religion. He said the two sides promised not to interfere in each other’s internal affairs.
Vu complimented Vietnam’s seven million Catholics on their positive contributions to improving the relations with the Vatican.
