§ 14 Mr. Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock)If he will make a statement on the UK's relations with the Holy See. [129554]
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Keith Vaz)We have very good relations with the Holy See. During my visit to Rome in January this year, I had a meeting at the Vatican with Monsignor Migliore, and also met Cardinal Etchegaray, Archbishop Van Thaun and Bishops Martin and Fitzgerald. Her Majesty the Queen will meet Pope John Paul II when she visits Rome between 16 and 19 October.
§ Mr. MackinlayDoes the Minister recall that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, along with the American Department of State, considered it appropriate to give unsolicited advice to the Vatican on what it deemed to be the imprudence of the Holy Father making a visit to Iraq. Bearing in mind the fact that the Pope's travel arrangements are deemed to be appropriate business for the FCO, as well as our residual duties and obligations to promote human rights and religious liberties in Hong Kong, can the Minister tell us what representations have been, or will be, made to the Chinese authorities in the light of the fact that they refused the Pope permission to visit the 250,000 Catholics in Hong Kong on a pastoral visit?
§ Mr. VazIf our embassy in the Holy See is consulted on these matters, we will be part of the discussions. There is no question of our telling the Pope or the Vatican where they should go or whom they should visit. However, if those matters are raised as part of the bilateral discussions and negotiations, the UK Government will put their views forward.