Vatican Seeks Diplomatic Ties With Russia

Vatican Seeks Diplomatic Ties With Russia
By NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press Writer

October 27, 2005, 9:51 AM EDT


VATICAN CITY -- The Vatican and Russia should establish full diplomatic relations because the current ties don't correspond to the weight each wields in the world, the Vatican's foreign minister said in comments released Thursday.

Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo also said he was convinced that the "difficult" relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church were not "unresolvable" and said he prayed that the time becomes ripe for a visit to Russia by Pope Benedict XVI.

The Vatican released transcripts of interviews Lajolo gave to two Russian news outlets; he arrived in Moscow on Wednesday and called for upgrading diplomatic relations with the Kremlin.

He is to meet Friday with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and hold a separate session with Metropolitan Kirill, who heads the Russian Orthodox Church's foreign relations department.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-vatican-russia,0,5497530.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines

he can make changes to the Russian Orthodox Church.

"The head of the Russian church, Patriarch Alexy II, maintains that a papal visit would be possible only after the Catholic Church stops poaching converts in Russia and other ex-Soviet lands and ends discrimination against the Orthodox in western Ukraine.

The Vatican has rejected the proselytizing allegations, saying it is only ministering to Russia's tiny Catholic community -- about 600,000 people in a country of 144 million."

It will be all kissy kissy with no changes.

those pesky cold war secrets avout JP2 and the Lodge are about to be aired in public.

Licio Gelli has said the defendants in Rome want to subpoena Marcinkus.

No wonder this diplomatic biz is rearing its ugly right now.