NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

    VATICAN CITY, OCT 25 (ZENIT).- This morning, John Paul II received Igor Sergheevic Ivanov, the Russian Federation's Minister of Foreign Affairs, who was accompanied by his wife and an official entourage.

    After his meeting with the Holy Father, the Russian Minister had an interview with Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican Secretary of State.

    The Vatican disclosed that, in the course of the conversations, topics of current international importance were addressed, especially the present situation experienced by the Russian Federation.

    In this connection, the Holy Father expressed the hope that "a speedy political solution will be found to the conflict in Chechnya."

    Attention was also given to matters of Church-State relations in Russia, especially to issues relating to the application of the law of religious liberty, and improvement of diplomatic relations between the Vatican and the Russian Federation. As is well-known, following the approval of the law on religious liberty, some Catholic institutions experienced serious difficulties, because Catholicism was not given the status of a traditional Russian religion. ZE99102505

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