THE VATICAN

VATICAN CITY—The Vatican secretary for relations with other states played down a dispute with the Israeli government over the beatification of Pius XII.
Reacting to Israeli criticism of the planned beatification, Archbishop Jean Louis Tauran said that it was a matter for the Church alone to decide.
Last week the Israeli ambassador, Aharon Lopez, asked the Vatican to postpone the process for 50 years. Archbishop Tauran responded: "Why for 50 years and not 40 or 60?"—(aci) VATICAN CITY—In his first encounter with the new Guatemalan ambassador to the Vatican, the Holy Father recalled the murder of Bishop Juan Gerardi and called on the government to "respect fundamental human rights."
He said he deeply regretted the assassination in April of the human rights campaigner and urged Guatemalans to create a "culture of freedom and truth".—(aci) VATICAN CITY—The Community of Pope John XXIII became the latest lay movement to be recognised by the Holy See this week.
The Community, which was founded in 1978 by an Italian priest, has around 1,300 active members, mainly married couples.
The movement, which receives recognition forty years after Pope John XXIII's election, works with drug addicts and other people on the margins of society.---(KNA) VATICAN CITY—The latest Middle East peace accord raised hopes of a papal pilgrimage to the Holy Land in the Jubilee Year The Vatican's chief foreign affairs official. Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, said that the Wye Plantation peace accord opened the way for new possibilities for peace. "Everything depends on the peace process and the application of the Wye Plantation accord," the Archbishop said. He reaffirmed the Holy See's position that the Israeli occupation of Jerusalem is illegal. That has always been our position," he said.--(CWN) VATICAN CITY—The Vatican confirmed that it will not mediate in the in the case of General Augusto Pinochet, who faces deportation to Spain to face charges of genocide.
Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran said the Holy See will not mediate "at this time" to find a solution to the affair.
The Archbishop quashed rumours that the Vatican would intervene which emerged when a top Chilean official, vice-chancellor Mariano Femandex, met privately with the Vatican Secretary of. State Cardinal Angelo Sodano.
..ir.Archbishop Tauran said that • the meeting was called to "talk about the situation in" Chile and not related to the Pinochet affair.—(CWN)