Vatican-Russia Diplomatic Ties?

President Medvedev, center, his wife, Svetlana, and Prime Minister Putin.
President Medvedev, center, his wife, Svetlana, and Prime Minister Putin. (photo: CNS/Reuters)

Russia’s Itar-Tass news agency reports that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev supports opening formal diplomatic relations with the Vatican:

MOSCOW, July 5 (Itar-Tass) — Moscow and Vatican discuss the question on establishing diplomatic relations, said Dmitry Medvedev.

“We have relations with the Vatican, there are representative missions from both sides, and we are discussing whether to bring this relationship to a higher level, that is whether to change our relationship to one that is characterized by embassy and diplomatic relations. And it seems to me that this would be perfectly normal,” the Russian president said in an interview with the Italian mass media.