HOLY FATHER RECEIVES ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER BERLUSCONI

VATICAN CITY, JUL 3, 2001 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls, issued the following declaration this afternoon:

"Today, July 3, 2001, Pope John Paul II received in audience Silvio Berlusconi, president of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic.

"At the end of the meeting, members of his entourage were presented to the Holy Father, led by under-secretaries to the presidency, Gianni Letta and Paolo Bonaiuti, as well as by the minister of urban affairs, and the ambassador to the Holy See.

"Following this, Mr. Berlusconi visited Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano, who then presented Mr. Berlusconi to his colleagues in the two sections of the Secretariat of State, led by Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, substitute for General Affairs and Msgr. Celestino Migliore, under-secretary for Relations with States.

"The wish for a close collaboration between both sides for the spiritual progress of the country and for the good of the international community was repeated during the course of the meetings.

"Special attention was given to the topics of the promotion of the person and the family, and to an effective scholastic equality. With regard to international problems, there was an exchange of news on the progress of European unification and on the topics of international solidarity, in view of the G-8 summit in Genoa."

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