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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Russia boosts ties with Vatican | Russia boosts ties with Vatican |
| (29 minutes later) | |
| Russia and the Vatican have agreed to establish full diplomatic relations, the Kremlin has announced. | Russia and the Vatican have agreed to establish full diplomatic relations, the Kremlin has announced. |
| Until now, Moscow only had an office of representation at the Vatican. The new status means full-fledged embassies will be established in Moscow and Rome. | Until now, Moscow only had an office of representation at the Vatican. The new status means full-fledged embassies will be established in Moscow and Rome. |
| The announcement comes after President Dmitry Medvedev met Pope Benedict XVI while on a visit to Italy. | The announcement comes after President Dmitry Medvedev met Pope Benedict XVI while on a visit to Italy. |
| The move follows improvements in relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Vatican. | The move follows improvements in relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Vatican. |
| Decades of distrust | Decades of distrust |
| "President Medvedev told Pope Benedict at today's meeting that he signed a decree concerning the establishment of full diplomatic relations with the Vatican," presidential spokeswoman Natalya Timakova told reporters. | "President Medvedev told Pope Benedict at today's meeting that he signed a decree concerning the establishment of full diplomatic relations with the Vatican," presidential spokeswoman Natalya Timakova told reporters. |
| "He asked the foreign ministry to lead discussions to establish the relations and raise the level of representation to apostolic nuncio and embassy," she added. | "He asked the foreign ministry to lead discussions to establish the relations and raise the level of representation to apostolic nuncio and embassy," she added. |
| Since 1990, the two sides have maintained representation below the rank of ambassador. | |
| The political detente follows decades of distrust between the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox churches. | The political detente follows decades of distrust between the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox churches. |
| The Orthodox Church has long accused the Catholic Church of seeking to convert Russians to Catholicism. | The Orthodox Church has long accused the Catholic Church of seeking to convert Russians to Catholicism. |
| The Vatican says its activities in the country cater largely for traditional Catholic minorities like Poles, Germans and Lithuanians, who have faced discrimination and persecution in the past. | The Vatican says its activities in the country cater largely for traditional Catholic minorities like Poles, Germans and Lithuanians, who have faced discrimination and persecution in the past. |
| Property disputes between the churches have also put them at odds. | |
| Relations have improved since Metropolitan Kirill took over as the leader of the Orthodox Church after the death of Patriarch Alexiy II in December 2008. |