HA NOI (UCAN) -- The Vietnamese government has praised recent talks between Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Pope Benedict XVI, while local Church leaders hope for a brighter future for the local Church.

On Jan. 26, Vietnam News Agency reported on the previous day's meeting, the first between Vietnam's leader and a pope since communists reunited Vietnam in April 1975.

After speaking with Pope Benedict in the pope's private library at his Vatican residence, Dung led his delegation for a separate meeting with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican secretary of state, and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for relations with states.

According to Vietnam News Agency, the meetings reflect "the goodwill and desire of Vietnam and the Vatican to promote dialogue and mutual understanding."

The agency reported that the prime minister praised Vietnam's Catholic community as "dynamic and patriotic," and said his government attaches much importance to relations with the Vatican. It also reported that Cardinal Bertone requested full diplomatic ties between the Holy See and Vietnam, to which Dung responded by proposing that diplomatic agencies on both sides begin discussing the matter in more detail.

Vietnam Television, reporting Jan. 28 on the visit, praised the Vatican for warmly welcoming the Vietnamese delegation even though "the two parties have not established diplomatic relations."

It reported Le Cong Phung, a member of the delegation, as saying the Vatican appreciated Vietnam's Catholic community and his government's religious policies, which "may be a model for other countries to follow."

He also noted that in the past, the Vatican had criticized Vietnam for its religious policies, but "this time the pope and the cardinal did not give any criticism of our policies."

Archbishop Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet of Ha Noi told UCA News on Jan. 28 that the meeting "is a positive sign" of improving relations. Asked if there were barriers to normalization of relations, the Vietnamese Church leader said both parties "have conservative views."

Some Catholics, he explained, do not want the Holy See to establish diplomatic ties with Vietnam, because they view their country as lacking complete religious freedom. At the same time, some conservative communists see diplomatic ties with the Vatican as unnecessary, because the country does not gain economic benefits from it, he added.

Nonetheless, Archbishop Kiet said he believes the majority of Vietnamese support the establishment of diplomatic ties with the Holy See, seeing it as something "good and constructive."

According to the archbishop, who serves as deputy secretary general of the Vietnam Bishops' Conference, procedures leading to the establishment of diplomatic relations take time, and how much time "depends on their situations and attitudes."

Asked if Vietnam might set up diplomatic ties with the Holy See before China does so, Archbishop Kiet said the two countries have the right to decide on their own issues independently. However, he acknowledged that each country's decisions have an influence over the other.

Wise leaders take "bold and skillful steps that benefit their countries and are recognized by the world," the archbishop remarked, praising Dung for the prime minister's "determined and conciliatory attitude."

Regarding the situation in Vietnam since the Ordinance on Beliefs and Religions took effect in November 2004, Archbishop Kiet said local Church activities take place "more easily in urban areas than in rural areas." He observed that in some remote areas, Catholics are still not allowed to build churches or gather for prayer, and priests from other places are prevented from coming to celebrate Mass.

Bishop Joseph Nguyen Chi Linh of Thanh Hoa told UCA News on Jan. 26 that it is too early to tell when diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the Holy See might materialize, but he expressed confidence they "will surely come."

Pointing out that Vietnam became a member of the World Trade Organization last November, he said the country "must open its door for economic, cultural, social, educational and even religious exchanges with other countries."

Bishop Linh, head of the Vietnam bishops' Episcopal Commission for the Laity, added that the local Catholic Church is hoping for a bright future after the historic meeting at the Vatican. "Surely local Catholics will have more freedom to hold religious activities, and the government's religious policies will be more open," he commented.

Bishop Linh, 58, noted that a Holy See delegation is expected to make a "regular visit" to Vietnam in March.

Some local Catholics told UCA News they jumped up and down with joy after seeing the Jan. 26 report on Vietnam Television about the prime minister's meeting with the pope.

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