Vietnam cardinal a former prisoner

Hanoi - Vietnam reacted coolly yesterday to the Vatican's naming of a new cardinal who is a one-time political prisoner and a…

Hanoi - Vietnam reacted coolly yesterday to the Vatican's naming of a new cardinal who is a one-time political prisoner and a relative of a late president of the former South Vietnam, its arch wartime enemy.

"So far we have not received official notification on this matter," a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said when asked to respond to the appointment of Dr Francois Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan (72) last month.

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