Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 16, 1990 TAG: 9003161862
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: VATICAN CITY LENGTH: Medium
The Vatican and Moscow said the two sides have agreed to exchange representatives with the rank of apostolic nuncio, or papal envoy, and extraordinary ambassador.
The ties fall short of full diplomatic relations. Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro described them as "pre-diplomatic relations" and said there was "room for further development."
There are a number of problems to be resolved, including the status of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. It was suppressed under Soviet dictator Josef Stalin and incorporated into the Russian Orthodox Church.
Still, the move was an extraordinary advance in relations between the center of the Roman Catholic Church and a state that declared war against religion after the Bolshevik revolution of 1917.
It also reflects the vastly improved climate in relations between the church and Soviet bloc countries since the collapse of hard-line communist leaderships.
Relations have steadily improved under Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The decision to establish ties came during his talks with the pope at the Vatican on Dec. 1. It was the first meeting between a Roman pontiff and a supreme Soviet leader.
One of the main points of friction between Moscow and Rome has been the Ukrainian church.
It would regain legal status under a proposed freedom of religion law promised by Gorbachev when he met with the pope. But as yet the measure has not been adopted.
by CNB