MONETARY CONVENTION BETWEEN HOLY SEE AND ITALY

VATICAN CITY, DEC 29, 2000 (VIS) - At midday today, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following declaration:

"Today, December 29 2000, in the late morning at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a monetary convention was signed between the Holy See and Italy, on behalf of the European Community, following the introduction of the euro as the single currency.

"In the name of the Holy See (as a representative of Vatican City State) the convention was signed by Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States, while Lamberto Dini, Italian foreign minister, signed on behalf of Italy.

"The convention establishes the right of Vatican City State to use the Euro as its own official currency. As regards the introduction of notes and coins in euro, Vatican City State undertakes to follow the same calendar as that laid down for the Italian Republic."

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