DECLARATION ON POPE'S AUDIENCE WITH ZAPATERO

VATICAN CITY, JUN 21, 2004 (VIS) - Joaquin Navarro-Valls, director of the Holy See Press Office, made the following declaration today:

  "This morning the Holy Father received in audience Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, president of the Spanish government, who then met with Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano and Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, secretary for Relations with States.

  "Mr. Zapatero was accompanied by Miguel Angel Moratinos Cuyaube, minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Jorge Dezcallar de Mazarredo, ambassador of Spain to the Holy See, Luis Calvo Merino, undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, Carles Maria Casajuna Palet, general director of the International Department and Security of the Presidency of the Government.

  "In the course of the conversation, they reviewed the principal bilateral relations in light of the Accords between the Holy See and Spain, in particular those of 1979, and a desire for dialogue and collaboration was reaffirmed. In addition, there was an exchange of perspectives on the international situation with a special focus on the European perspective and on the countries of Latin America."
OP/AUDIENCE ZAPATERO/NAVARRO-VALLS     VIS 20040621 (180)