Hanoi lauds new cardinal<\/p>\n
VIETNAM: Communist Vietnam welcomed on Thursday the appointment
\nof a new Catholic cardinal, saying the event underlined improving
\nties with the Vatican despite a lack of diplomatic relations.<\/p>\n
\"The fact of having one new cardinal is good news for all
\nVietnamese Catholics,\" Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Dung said in
\na statement, replying to a question from Reuters. It was Hanoi's
\nfirst direct confirmation it had accepted the appointment.<\/p>\n
Archbishop Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man, 69, from Ho Chi Minh
\nCity in the south was among 31 new cardinals announced by Pope
\nJohn Paul on Sunday. Another Vietnamese cardinal, 84-year-old
\nPham Dinh Tung, lives in retirement in Hanoi.<\/p>\n
Vietnam recognizes six religions including Catholicism, but
\ninsists on the right to vet leaders, which the Vatican opposes.<\/p>\n
Episcopal appointments in Vietnam are usually approved by the
\ngovernment beforehand from a list presented by the Vatican.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week several foreign media said Hanoi had
\nrejected Man's appointment, but the prelate himself repudiated
\nthe reports on Wednesday after a meeting with the Government
\nCommittee on Religion.<\/p>\n
The Foreign Ministry said on Thursday the relationship between
\nVietnam and the Vatican \"has been showing progress\", citing an
\nexchange of delegations. -- Reuters<\/p>\n
;AFP;ANJ;
\nANPAu..r..
\nAglance-USA-RP-rebels
\nMILF accuses RP of lying
\nJP\/11\/ASEAN<\/p>\n
MILF accuses RP of lying<\/p>\n
PHILIPPINES: A Philippine Moro separatist group on Thursday
\ndenied it had terrorist links and accused the government of
\nmaking up the allegations to increase U.S. pressure on the group.<\/p>\n
Eid Kabalu, spokesman for the separatist Moro Islamic
\nLiberation Front (MILF), brushed off U.S. warnings Washington
\nwould withhold millions of dollars in development aid to Muslim
\nareas unless the rebels cut their ties to groups such as the
\nJamaah Islamiyah (JI).<\/p>\n
\"This is a recycled allegation and we have nothing to cut
\nbecause there are really no ties,\" Kabalu said.<\/p>\n
U.S. ambassador to the Philippines Francis Ricciardone said on
\nWednesday the U.S. Congress had earmarked US$30 million for areas
\ncontrolled by the 12,500-strong MILF once a peace agreement was
\nsigned with Manila.<\/p>\n
But he warned that the MILF would lose access to the funds
\nunless they cut all links to the JI, a regional militant group
\nblamed for last October's bombing in Bali that killed more than
\n200 people and other deadly attacks.<\/p>\n
Kabalu said allegations of MILF links to the JI were \"part of
\nthe pressure which is favorable to the (Philippine) government
\nfor us to come to an agreement.\"<\/p>\n
\"The MILF will not succumb to pressure because what we want
\nhere is genuine peace,\" he added. -- AFP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bhanoi-lauds-new-cardinalb-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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