A top Vatican official on Wednesday
accused US President Donald Trump's administration of using Pope
Francis with an event staged during US Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo's visit to Rome.
Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican's Secretary for Relations
with States, answered in the affirmative when asked by ANSA if
the US unilaterally organizing a symposium on religious freedom
at its embassy to the Holy See amounted to exploitation of the
pope in the final stages of the US presidential campaign.
"Yes, that is precisely why the pope will not meet American
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo," Gallagher said.
During his visit, Pompeo is set to have talks with Italian
Premier Giuseppe Conte, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio and
Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, but not Pope Francis.
Vatican sources had said it was felt a meeting with such a
senior figure in Trump's administration would be inappropriate
so close to the elections.
Pompeo and Parolin are expected to discuss the Vatican's
relations with China, after the former accused the Holy See of
being too soft on Beijing and was critical of the likelihood
that a historic agreement with the Chinese authorities on the
nomination of bishops will be renewed.
Pompeo called on "every faith leader to find the courage to
confront religious persecution against their own communities,
and those of other faiths" during a speech in Rome on Wednesday.
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