News on upcoming President Medvedev - Vatican meeting

Moscow, February 14 (Interfax) - The Vatican Embassy to Russia hopes that the forthcoming meeting between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Pope Benedict XVI will develop cooperation between the two states.

"I cannot say with certainty which topics exactly will be touched upon at the meeting between the Russian president and the pope but I can say that this visit will primarily become a symbol of the beautiful, friendly relationship and cooperation, which is there and is likely to grow," First Secretary at the Embassy of the Holy See to Russia Monsignor Visvaldas Kulbokas told Interfax-Religion on Monday.

It was reported that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will be in Italy on a formal visit on February 16-17, following which he will visit Vatican to meet Pope Benedict XVI.

This meeting will allow to express, "including on the part of the Holy Father," the shared views of Russia and the Holy See on the protection of life and moral values on the international arena.

At the same time, the forthcoming meeting should not be seen in the context of the Orthodox-Catholic relationship, because it will be a state visit by Medvedev (the first one since Russia and the Vatican established diplomatic relations), Kulbokas said.

Yet the relations between Russia and the Holy See "also take into account the friendly, brotherly relations between the two Churches," he said.

Asked when the Vatican will name its new ambassador to Russia who will replace outgoing Archbishop Antonio Mennini appointed as nuncio in the United Kingdom, Kulbokas said this will happen in the near future, that is "over the next few days or weeks."

And also...

Moscow, February 14 (Interfax) - The upcoming meeting of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Pope of Rome Benedict XVI will promote the dialog between the Vatican and the Russian Orthodox Church, acting secretary of the External Church Relations Department Priest Dmitry Sizonenko told Interfax-Religion on Monday.

"Full-value diplomatic relations between the Russian Federation and the Holy See gave a fresh impetus to the constructive relationship between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Vatican," he said.

Earlier reports said that Medvedev would pay an official visit to Italy on February 16-17 and meet with Benedict XVI after that.

That would be a meeting of the chiefs of state, Father Dmitry said. The Church is separated from the state in Russia, "so official representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate are successfully discussing inter-church cooperation with partners in the Vatican," he said.

However, the Church has always been united "with the people, the society and played a special role in the Russian life as a spiritual and moral force linking millions of people in the home country and abroad," he said.

"Benedict XVI pins special hopes on cooperation with the Orthodox Church," he said.

"We simply must build up partnership in the face of terrorism and discrimination of Christians," he said.

The recent participation of the Russian government as a third party in the case of Italian resident Soile Lautsi, who challenged the ban on crucifixes at state schools, was an illustrative example of cooperation, he said.

Remarkable examples of good cooperation between the Churches can be seen in various European countries, Father Dmitry said.