12/22/2018 Vietnam (International Christian Concern) – After a Vatican delegation led by Monsignor Antoine Camilleri visited Vietnam from Dec 18-20, Vatican and Vietnamese officials have agreed to upgrade relations through the appointment of a permanent papal representative to Hanoi in the near future.

Father Joseph Dao Nguyen Vu, head of the Office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam, said in a statement that two sides “agreed to take detailed steps to raise their diplomatic relationships from the level of non-resident envoy to resident envoy to Vietnam.”

Vietnam severed diplomatic ties with the Holy See in 1975. The Vatican began to send a non-resident pontifical representative to Vietnam in 2011.

One of the aims of the talks at the seventh meeting of the Vietnam-Vatican Joint Working Group yesterday was also to help resolve bitter disputes over confiscated church properties. However, Asia News reports that No official reference was made to the problems that the Vietnamese Church faces as it tries to defend its properties from repeated attacks by the authorities. There is no mention of violent incidents against Church buildings and Catholics in the statement issued afterward.

Vatican seems to want to improve ties with a few communist countries in Asia. The Holy See signed a provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops with China last September which would alter the landscape of underground Catholic church, despite concerns and criticism. Now it’s upgrading ties with Vietnam.

For interviews with Gina Goh, ICC’s Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: [email protected].