A VATICAN statement
issued last week to "clarify" a communique by the Indian Embassy on a talk between Pope Paul and India's Minister of Health and Family Planning, Mr. Chandrasekhar, said the Pope condemns "without reservation" all forms of population control "that undermine and injure the very source of life."
The Vatican said that "perhaps unconsciously", the communique had given "a biased turn to the words of the Holy Father . . . He never spoke of 'birth control,' but of 'regulation of the family' in conformity with the law of God. He condemned without reserve all
solutions, such as abortion, that undermine and injure the very source of life."
It also said the Pope had not suggested migration as a solution to India's problems, but "had approved" the Minister's wish to promote migration. It added that the Pope had told the Minister: "India has real wealth in its population and the country, and, with appropriate use of its resources could feed a population double the present number."
The Indian Embassy's statement that the Pope was still considering the population problem "from all points of view" was not disputed in the Vatican statement.