Pope received Viktor Yushchenko with his wife, the conversation lasted less than half an hour

The Pope Benedict XVI expressed a desire for the construction of equal relations between the church and the state in Ukraine. As ITAR-TASS reports, this is stated in the commander of the Printing Service of the Holy See. Pontiff gave President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko and his wife an audience in the personal library of the Apostolic Palace.

An exchange of views on international issues took place, a high level of bilateral relations was noted, the desire to constructively cooperate in the cultural and social regions, to achieve consent on not yet resolved issues, the communique says. Before departure to Rome, President Yushchenko said that he intends to raise the issue of creating a single local church in Ukraine in the Vatican. But it is still unknown if Yushchenko spoke to his dad about this.

The conversation through translators lasted 24 minutes, then the president presented his delegation of 10 people to the Roman high priest, including the acting Foreign Minister Vladimir Khandogy, Ambassador of Ukraine under the Vatican Tatyana Izhevskaya and other officials. Pope Ratzinger was presented with a marble bust, which, according to the information, will find a place in the Vatican Museum.

The meeting of President Yushchenko and high -ranking Ukrainian diplomats with the State Secretary (Head of Government) of St. throne Cardinal Tarchizio Berton and the secretary for relations with states by Archbishop Domenicus Lamberti was also held.

The President of Ukraine, who arrived at the Vatican directly from the Roman airport, talked with students of the Ukrainian Papal College in Rome and visited the underground crypt of the Basilica of St. Peter, where the grave of the Pope John Paul II, as well as the Sikestine Chapel is located.

ITAR-TASS notes that Viktor Yushchenko will not meet in Rome with Italian politicians.