Holy See and Vietnam begin third round of talks

(February 27, 2012) The Joint Working Group of the Holy See and Vietnam began the third round of talks in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi on Monday to study the possibility of establishing diplomatic relations between them. The Vietnamese delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, while the Vatican delegation was headed by Vatican’s Undersecretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Ettore Balestrero. Vatican spokesman, Fr. Federico Lombardi announced on Friday that the talks, ending on Tuesday, will serve to “deepen and develop bilateral relations.” In the past there have been tensions for decades between Catholics and Vietnam’s Communist government over church property seized by the Communist and other issues, such as appointments of Church personnel. But relations between Vietnam and the Holy See have warmed in recent years with easing of restrictions on the Catholic community and exchange of visits by top officials. Pope Benedict XVI received President Nguyen Minh Triet of Vietnam in the Vatican on December 11, 2009, the first head of the Southeast Asian nation to visit a Pontiff. The first round of Holy See-Vietnam talks was held in Hanoi in February, 2009, and the last talks took place in the Vatican in June, 2010. Vietnam's 6 million Catholics are the second largest Catholic community in Asia after the Philippines.