President George W. Bush attended an interfaith service at Cua Bac Cathedral in Hanoi on Sunday, then called on governments worldwide to allow greater religious liberty. He and First Lady Laura Bush said they joined the Catholic church gathering both as an expression of personal faith and as an appeal for broader tolerance of religious diversity.
The visit came days after the US State Department dropped Vietnam from its list of countries of particular concern for religious persecution, where it had been placed alongside Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, and North Korea for two years. Ambassador-at-large for religious freedom John Hanford said Vietnam had made meaningful progress, particularly in allowing independent Protestant congregations to gain legal status.
Vietnam once heavily restricted its roughly 6 million Catholics and 30 million Buddhists, though it has grown more permissive toward established faiths in recent years. The government still requires churches to register, controls seminaries, and plays a role in selecting religious leaders. A dispute over bishop appointments has prevented Vietnam from establishing diplomatic ties with the Vatican.
Critics, including smaller religious communities, disputed Washington's decision. They contend that evangelical Protestants and unsanctioned groups such as the Hoa Hao Buddhists and the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam continue to face government repression.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in November 2006, in its own words.