SW News: Communist-ruled Vietnam and the Holy See are all set to take a giant leap towards mending their strained ties by forging an agreement that will permit the Vatican to establish a permanent diplomatic presence in the Asian country. Sources say that the agreement is slated to be made public when President Vo Van Thuong of Vietnam makes a visit to the Holy See later this month.

Speaking to Reuters, a top Vatican official said that they are entertaining hopes that the visit would be a pivotal moment in improving the ties with Vietnam. For more than a decade, the Holy See had been requesting the communist authorities to allow a nunciature in the country to enhance ties between both states.

The visiting president is expected to be received by Pope Francis and it would be a first of its kind ever since President Tran Dai Quang made a visit to the Vatican in 2016. At present, the affairs of Vietnam are handled by the Nuncio to Singapore Archbishop Marek Zalewski who occasionally visits Hanoi with the permission of the authorities.

In the nation of 95 million, there are about 7 million Catholics. The Holy See severed ties with Vietnam after the communists overran the country reuniting the north and the south at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. Since then, Catholics are viewed with suspicion of being too close to the French who were once the colonial powers.

The communist authorities have placed some curbs on Church activities such as building new places of worship or erecting new parishes.

Although the nation’s constitution promises freedom of religion, there are reports of religious oppression in the country. It is hoped that the creation of a nunciature in the country would help improve ties between the Holy See and Hanoi and also grant greater rights to the Catholics.