Vatican City — The Vatican has established full diplomatic relations with the Southeast Asian nation of Myanmar for the first time, following a cordial meeting Thursday, May 4, between Pope Francis and Nobel Peace Prize laureate and country leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Vatican announced the surprise move about 90 minutes after their meeting, saying in a statement that the two entities would soon be opening respective embassies. The Vatican had previously been represented in Myanmar by an apostolic delegate based in Thailand.

The move represents a significant step for Myanmar, which in 2015 began a process of democratic reforms to emerge from a half-century of military rule. Suu Kyi, who had been put on house arrest under the military leadership, was elected the country’s State Counselor, a role equivalent to prime minister, in April 2016.

The Myanmar leader and Francis spoke privately for 23 minutes during their meeting Thursday. Although Suu Kyi is not her country’s formal head of state, the pope broke normal protocol and came out to greet her as she approached his office in the apostolic palace, something he normally only does for country leaders.

The two appeared cordial and at ease with each other. Upon sitting together at Francis’ desk, they began to speak immediately, even before their translator had sat down.



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Francis presented Suu Kyi with a bronze medallion that he has not been known to give other political leaders. The medallion, a 7.5 inch wide casting, shows a desert turning to bloom in a depiction of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah’s words: “The wilderness will become a fruitful field.”

“The dry, thorny branch that blossoms and bears fruit symbolizes the passage from selfishness to sharing, from war to peace,” the Vatican said in an explanation of the piece. “It is a parable of the change that takes place when men and women open their hearts to the authentic values of growth and social harmony.”

The pontiff also gave Suu Kyi a copy of his message for 2017’s World Day of Peace, which focused on nonviolence as a political method. The two leaders spoke again for several moments as Suu Kyi left Francis’ office, and the Myanmar leader finished the encounter by bowing her head towards the pontiff.

Suu Kyi met Francis as part of a round of encounters with European leaders this week. She was in Brussels Wednesday for a meeting with the European Union’s top diplomat, Federica Mogherini. She is to meet later Thursday with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, before traveling to London for meetings with British leaders.

The Myanmar leader faced tough questions in the Brussels meeting about her country’s treatment of Rohingya Muslims, who mainly live in its western state of Rakhine.

About 88 percent of people in Myanmar identify as Buddhist. The United Nations has warned that there are atrocities being committed against the Rohingya minority that could be considered “crimes against humanity.”

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In a press conference, Mogherini urged Suu Kyi to support a U.N. mission to investigate the situation. The Myanmar leader ruled out cooperating with the investigation, saying the U.N. resolution on the matter is not “in keeping with what is actually happening on the ground.”

Jason Quinn, an expert on peace agreement design and implementation who has provided research support to negotiations in Myanmar, told NCR that while the Rohingya situation is serious he has greater concern that the country’s peace process may be faltering.

“The peace process of the last several years appears to be stalling or failing,” said Quinn, a research assistant professor at the University of Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies.

“From what I have personally experienced in the Myanmar peace process, the rebel organizations want peace and are seeking very modest political reforms and limited autonomy arrangements,” he said. “The military pretends to be committed to a peace process and engages in a lot of signaling and busy work, but they are just stalling.”

“The bottom line is that a collection of powerful military families have been enthusiastically exploiting the mineral wealth of the country-side for decades,” said Quinn. “How do you go about stopping that?”

David Steinberg, a Myanmar specialist and the author of several books on the country, said he thought the Vatican would have an opportunity in opening an embassy in the nation to speak up for the protection of the Rohingya and other minorities there.

"The building of these relationships and trust is very important," said Steinberg, a distinguished professor of Asian studies at Georgetown University. "I think it's important that the church be visible and supportive of national goals and also supportive of better relations with the Muslim community."

"I think it is important that the Vatican do something," he said. "I think Pope Francis because of his record on human rights could maybe help try and influence Aung San Suu Kyi to do more."

Francis has given special emphasis to the church in Myanmar, appointing Yangon Archbishop Charles Bo as the country’s first cardinal in 2015. According to the Vatican’s 2015 figures, the latest available, there are 659,000 Catholics in the country of 51 million and 384 parishes.

[Joshua J. McElwee is NCR Vatican correspondent. His email address is jmcelwee@ncronline.org. Follow him on Twitter: @joshjmac.]</s>The Vatican and the Asian nation of Myanmar have agreed to establish diplomatic relations at a time when the Buddhist-majority country is transitioning from decades of military rule but facing criticism for religious and ethnic discrimination.

The announcement came Thursday, the same day that Pope Francis met with Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, the country's top civilian leader.

Francis received Suu Kyi in the "throne room" of the Apostolic Palace — an honor usually reserved for heads of state. They chatted for more than 20 minutes and Francis gave her copies of his major documents as well as a copy of his 2017 message for the church's World Day of Peace, "Non-Violence, a style of Politics for Peace."

Myanmar is facing international criticism for military activities in the western state of Rakhine, where troops are accused of carrying out widespread abuses against the Muslim ethnic Rohingya minority in what the military says is a counter-insurgency operation.

Discrimination against the Rohingya is widespread and the government refuses to recognize most as citizens, treating even long-term residents as illegal immigrants.

Francis has appealed for prayers for the Rohingya, denouncing in February how they had been "tortured and killed, simply because they are continuing their traditions, their Muslim faith."

The Vatican said the decision to establish diplomatic relations would "promote bonds of mutual friendship."

About 1 percent of Myanmar's 51 million people are Catholics. The church has been active in Myanmar — also known as Burma — for five centuries.

Myanmar's presidential spokesman, Zaw Htay, said the country wanted to be "part of the international family" and that establishing diplomatic relations with the Vatican was key to that, given its role as a reference point for all Christians.

"Being able to start a diplomatic relationship with Vatican is just what our country loves because we have the tradition of living together with (multiple) religions harmoniously," Htay said.

A spokesman for the Catholic Church in Myanmar, the Rev. Soe Naing, said the new relationship would do more than merely facilitate direct contacts between the Holy See and Yangon.

"This diplomatic relationship is good and will benefit not only the Catholic community but also other religious communities living in Myanmar," he said. "Having another friend for our country will give us help and support."

Suu Kyi's party took power last year as the country transitioned from military to civilian rule.

However, the slower-than-expected pace of democratic reforms and continuing strife with ethnic minorities have raised doubts about what sort of support Suu Kyi should be given internationally, even as investment and trade have boomed at home.

Suu Kyi's supporters say she is hamstrung by a constitution that gives the military enough parliamentary seats to block many policy initiatives, while the army remains answerable in practice only to itself.

Francis in 2015 named Myanmar's first cardinal, tapping the archbishop of Yangon, Charles Maung Bo.

The Holy See, a tiny, walled city state, has diplomatic relations with more than 180 countries. One of the few countries not on the list is China.</s>Look at how Pope Francis greeted Nobel Peace Prize winner and Myanmar State Counsellor and Foreign Minister, Aung San Suu Kyi. It was their second encounter together, after their first in October 2013.

While Myanmar only has a small Catholic population, this meeting also brought about their intention to establish diplomatic relations with the Holy See.

Thus, both leaders showed their respect through the gifts that were exchanged between them. Kyi presented the pope will a little marble carving of a dove.

"This is a symbol of the peace process.”

The pope, in turn, presented her with a medallion with the inscription "The desert will become a garden.” He also gifted her the three documents from his pontificate in English: Amoris Laetitia, Evangelii Gaudium and Laudato si'.

After their meeting, both leaders warmly said goodbye to each other.

"Thank you. Thank you. Pray for me.”

"Yes, I will always keep you in my prayers. Thank you.”

Pope Francis is especially concerned about violence taking place in her country against the minority Muslim group in Rohingya. They are fleeing from what the UN calls a "genocide” by the Burmese army. It is estimated that between 300,000 and 500,000 refugees have fled to Bangladesh.

"We think today of the poor Rohingya people of Myanmar. They did not know what would happen to them when they left their homeland to escape persecution. For months they are there in boats... They arrive in a city, where people give them water and food, and say, 'Go away.' This is happening and it leaves a great existential problem.”

Furthermore, Kyi has been under fire for denying that there is an "ethnic cleansing” taking place. The Vatican has not confirmed if Pope Francis brought up this concerning topic while the two held their 23-minute private meeting.</s>The Vatican and Myanmar have agreed to establish diplomatic relations at a time when the Buddhist-majority country is accused of increasing religious and ethnic intolerance.

The announcement came Thursday, the same day that Pope Francis met with Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, the country's top civilian leader.

Myanmar's government is facing international criticism for its activities in the western state of Rakhine, where troops are accused of carrying out widespread abuses against the Muslim ethnic Rohingya minority in what the government says is a counter-insurgency operation.

Discrimination against the Rohingya is widespread and the government refuses to recognize most as citizens, treating even long-term residents as illegal immigrants.

Francis has appealed for prayers for the Rohingya, denouncing how they had been "tortured and killed, simply because they are continuing their traditions, their Muslim faith."

The Vatican said the decision to establish diplomatic relations would "promote bonds of mutual friendship."

About 1 percent of Myanmar's 51 million people are Catholics. The church has been active in Myanmar - also known as Burma - for five centuries.

Francis in 2015 named Myanmar's first cardinal, tapping the archbishop of Yangon, Charles Maung Bo.

The Holy See, a tiny, walled city state, has diplomatic relations with more than 180 countries. One of the few countries not on the list is China.</s>Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is barred by her country's constitution from being President. — Reuters picVATICAN CITY, May 4 —The Vatican and Myanmar today established full diplomatic relations on the day that Pope Francis met with the country’s leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, the Vatican said.

The Vatican had previously been represented in Myanmar by an apostolic delegate to the local church who was based in Thailand. — Reuters</s>State Counsellor and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi, left, stands with Pope Francis on the occasion of their private audience, at the Vatican, Thursday, May 4, 2017. less State Counsellor and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi, left, stands with Pope Francis on the occasion of their private audience, at the Vatican, ... more State Counsellor and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi is escorted as she leaves the Vatican after a private audience with Pope Francis, Thursday, May 4, 2017.

Start the conversation, or Read more at SFGate.</s>VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Shortly after Pope Francis met privately with Myanmar’s de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, the Holy See and Myanmar announced they were establishing full diplomatic relations.

The Vatican announced May 4 that the pope would appoint a nuncio to the southeast Asian nation and that Myanmar would name an ambassador to the Vatican. The agreement brings to 183 the number of countries with which the Holy See has full diplomatic relations.

Suu Kyi, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, had spent almost 15 years of the period between 1989 and 2010 under house arrest. Her party, the National League for Democracy, won the general election in 2015 and she was named the de facto head of government in April 2016.

Welcomed to the Vatican by Pope Francis, Suu Kyi took his hand and bowed her head. She and the pope met privately for more than 20 minutes before her entourage entered the papal library.

She gave Pope Francis a small bas relief of a dove and Pope Francis gave her a new medallion illustrating a passage from the Book of Isaiah, “The wilderness will become a fruitful field.”

“The dry thorny branch that blossoms and bears fruit symbolizes the passage from selfishness to sharing, from war to peace,” said a Vatican description of the medallion.

Suu Kyi has won international support for her efforts to shore up Myanmar’s fledgling democracy after decades of military rule, but serious questions have been raised about her government’s treatment of the Rohingya people, who are Muslim.

Pope Francis has appealed for their protection on several occasions. At a general audience Feb. 18, the pope said the Rohingya “are good people. They are our brothers and sisters. They have been suffering for years. They have been tortured, killed, just because they want to keep their traditions and their Muslim faith.”

The 2017 annual report of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom labeled Myanmar one of 16 “Tier 1” countries of particular concern based on their level of religious repression.

According to the Vatican’s latest statistics, Myanmar has about 659,000 Catholics out of a population of about 51 million.</s>related media assets (image or videos) available. Click to see the gallery.

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The Vatican and Myanmar established full diplomatic relations on Thursday, minutes after Pope Francis met with the country's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.

VATICAN CITY: The Vatican and Myanmar established full diplomatic relations on Thursday, minutes after Pope Francis met with the country's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.

The surprise move means that the Vatican will have much more diplomatic influence in Myanmar, which is facing international scrutiny over atrocities against the Rohingya Muslim minority.

There are about 700,000 Catholics in Myanmar according to the country's cardinal, Charles Maung Bo, out of a total population of some 51.4 million, the majority of whom are Buddhist.

The Vatican had previously been represented in Myanmar by an apostolic delegate to the local church who was based in Thailand. The move means the Vatican and Myanmar will each appoint a full-fledged ambassador.

The announcement came shortly after Pope Francis met Suu Kyi, the de facto leader of Myanmar's civilian government and also its foreign minister.

Suu Kyi assumed power in 2016 following a landslide election win after Myanmar's former military leaders initiated a political transition.

The Nobel Peace laureate talked privately with the pope for about half an hour in his study in the Apostolic Palace.

In February, Francis issued a stinging criticism of the treatment of the Rohingya, saying they had been tortured and killed simply because they wanted to live their culture and Muslim faith.

On Thursday, Francis gave Suu Kyi a copy of his 2017 message for the Church's World day of Peace, whose title is "Non-violence: a style of politics for peace".

His remarks in February came shortly after a U.N. report that said security forces in the north of the country had carried out mass killings, gang rapes and had burned villages.

On Tuesday, the European Union clashed with Suu Kyi by publicly supporting an international mission to look into alleged human rights abuses against the Rohingya.

The EU's top diplomat Federica Mogherini, speaking at a news conference with Suu Kyi, said an agreed resolution of the U.N. Human Rights Council would help clear up uncertainty about allegations of killings, torture and rape against Rohingyas.

On the basis of that resolution, the top United Nations human rights body will send an international fact-finding mission to Myanmar despite Suu Kyi's reservations.

She said Myanmar was "disassociating" itself from the resolution.</s>State Counsellor and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi, left, stands with Pope Francis on the occasion of their private audience, at the Vatican, Thursday, May 4, 2017. State Counsellor and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi, left, is welcomed by Prefect of the Pontifical Household, Archbishop Georg Ganswein, upon her arrival at the Vatican for a private audience with Pope Francis, Thursday, May 4, 2017.

Start the conversation, or Read more at The Greenville Sun.</s>Vatican City, May 4 - The Vatican and Myanmar have agreed to establish full diplomatic relations, the Vatican said after an audience with Pope Francis by Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi Thursday. The Vatican had had until now only an apostolic delegate in Myanmar. He will be replaced by a papal nuncio, while Myanmar will set up an embassy at the Vatican. A Vatican statement said the Holy See and Myanmar wanted "to promote links of mutual friendship". The audience with the pope by Nobel Peace Prize winner Suu Kyi lasted 23 minutes. The Myanmar foreign minister gave Francis a traditional Burmese alabaster object and Francis gave her a medallion showing a dry branch reflowering and bearing fruit as well as his three writings, 'Amoris laetitia', 'Evangelii gaudium' and 'Laudato sii'.
The Holy See and Myanmar establish full diplomatic relations following a meeting between Pope Francis and Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.