JOHN PAUL II RECEIVES PRESIDENT OF GUATEMALA

VATICAN CITY, APR 22, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office at midday today issued the following communique: "Today, Thursday April 22, His Holiness John Paul II received in audience President Alvaro Arzu Irigoyen of the Republic of Guatemala.

"Subsequently, he met with His Eminence Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Secretary of State.

"In the course of the meeting, the reconciliation process underway in the country and current relations between Church and State were discussed, particularly because of the restated necessity to shed light as soon as possible on the painful case of the murder of Bishop Juan Gerardi, auxiliary of Guatemala. There was also an exchange of opinion on international affairs.

"Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, secretary for Relations with States and Eduardo Stein, foreign affairs minister of the Republic of Guatemala, also took part in the meeting."

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