Vietnam and the Vatican need to continue holding regular meetingsbetween their leaders and actively prepare necessary conditions towardsestablishing diplomatic relations, concurred Politburo member andVietnam Fatherland Front President (VFF) Nguyen Thien Nhan and theVatican’s Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

At a meeting in the Italian city of Rome on July 1, the two sideshailed the progress in bilateral relations as illustrated by visits byVietnamese Party and State senior officials to the Vatican and meetingswith the Pope.

They quoted Pope Francis’s remarksthat a Vietnamese Catholic must be a good citizen and patriot who sideswith the nation to build a country of prosperity and happiness.

VFF President Nhan valued the Pope’s recent message on environmentalprotection and said he had discussed this issue with Chairman of theEpiscopal Council of the Catholic Church of Vietnam Paul Bui Van Doc. Hestated his intention to work with the council to select appropriateenvironmental activities to encourage Catholic followers to engage in,adding that environmental protection is also a key policy of theVietnamese Party and State.

The VFF leader stressedthat as an organisation representing and protecting the legitimaterights and interests of Vietnamese people from all social strata, theVFF appreciates the contributions of more than 6 million Catholicfollowers to national development.

Cardinal PietroParolin also lauded the recent positive advances in relations betweenVietnam and the Vatican. He spoke highly of the VFF’s role insafeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of the Vietnamesepeople, including Catholics.

The Secretary of Stateexpressed the Vatican’s view that Governments and people around theworld need to prevent conflicts and protect global peace.-VNA