HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - A high-level Vatican delegation began talks with Vietnamese officials Tuesday and the top representative from Rome said he hoped the discussions would lead to the establishment of diplomatic ties.
Tensions have existed between Vietnam's government and the Catholic Church for decades with communist authorities closely monitoring religious groups and insisting on approving most church appointments. But relations have begun to thaw recently.
"Our desire is to establish diplomatic relations," Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's undersecretary of state, told reporters. "Our conversations are just beginning."
Parolin met Tuesday with a Vietnamese delegation headed by Nguyen The Doanh, vice director of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs. The meeting came a month after Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung had a historic visit with Pope Benedict XVI in Rome.
Parolin said he intended to ask Vietnamese officials about Father Nguyen Van Ly, a dissident Catholic priest who was recently accused of disseminating anti-government propaganda, and moved from his church in the central city of Hue to a smaller parish.
This week's meetings mark the 15th time Vatican officials have come to Vietnam to discuss church affairs. They have received heightened attention because the two sides recently announced they hoped to forge diplomatic ties.
"We had a very constructive dialogue with the Vietnamese authorities, and of course this is a long tradition now," Parolin said.
Vietnam closely monitors all religious organizations, and one point of contention with the Vatican has been Vietnam's insistence on approving all church appointments.
Asked if Vietnam would continue this practice, Doanh said it was best for both sides if they could agree on the appointment of individual clergy.
"The two sides must reach a consensus," he said. "Consensus is always good."
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