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PM Phuc notes with joy stronger Vietnam-Vatican ties
  • | VOV | December 19, 2018 10:54 AM
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hailed the positive exchange between Vietnam and the Holy See over the recent past while receiving a delegation from the Vatican in Hanoi on December 18, led by Under-Secretary for Relations with States Antoine Camilleri.




Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Under-Secretary for Relations with States Antoine Camilleri

At the reception for the Vatican official, currently in Vietnam for the seventh meeting of the Vietnam-Vatican Joint Working Group, PM Phuc expressed his delight at the organisation of the Vietnam-Vatican Joint Working Group’s seventh meeting, which, he believes, will see great strides in the relations between Vietnam and the Holy See, thus satisfying the common interests of both sides as well as those of the Vietnamese Catholic community.

The Vietnamese Government will go ahead with the promotion of national solidarity and be consistent in respecting and ensuring the right to freedom of belief and religion of all people, he said, and glowingly spoke of the positive and effective contributions of the Vietnamese Catholic community towards national development and underscoring the Government’s policy of encouraging and facilitating the operation of religions, including Catholicism in accordance with legal regulations.

The government leader asked the Holy See to continue guiding the Vietnamese Catholic community to engage in national development as a contribution to promoting the image of the Vietnam Catholic Church and reinforcing Vietnam-Holy See relations.

Antoine Camilleri, in turn, said Pope Francis and the Holy See are looking toward stronger ties with Vietnam and encourage Vietnamese Catholic followers to be good citizens who will make greater contributions to national development.

He said the Pope has always paid special attention to Vietnam and hopes that Vietnam Catholic Church will contribute more to the country’s prosperity.

Under-Secretary Camilleri thanked the Vietnamese Government for creating the best possible conditions for the non-resident Vatican representative to work in the country and expressed his belief that the two sides’ relations will steadily progressed in the time to come.

On the occasion, PM Phuc extended Christmas and New Year greetings to the Vatican’s Pope Francis and Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and showed his wish to welcome Secretary of State Parolin’s Vietnam visit soon.

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