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Archbishop Paul Gallagher: Diplomacy means talking to all sides

Archbishop Paul Gallagher: Diplomacy means talking to all sides

The Interview vor 6 Tagen

Julie Etchingham speaks to Archbishop Paul Gallagher about diplomacy in the Vatican

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“Diplomacy is about talking to lots of people with whom you don't
agree. And that's what diplomats do. And I think we would do
that... The Vatican has always had very little difficulty,
perhaps too little difficulty, in dealing with all sorts of
political actors, all sorts regimes, all sorts of political
systems.”

Julie Etchingham speaks to Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Holy
See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International
Organisations and one of the Catholic Church’s more senior
diplomats.

The 72 year old, who was born and brought up in Liverpool, was
appointed to the post in 2014 by Pope Francis and is frequently
referred to as the Vatican's foreign minister.

Although a tiny city state, the Vatican has significant reach and
influence on the world stage, being a permanent observer at the
United Nations and having diplomatic relations with 184
countries. Its diplomats pursue a policy of ‘positive neutrality’
- supposedly an impartial moral authority which allows it to
dialogue with all sides.

With no signs of various geopolitical tensions subsiding, the
Archbishop’s role in navigating these instabilities on behalf of
the more than 1.4 billion Catholics around the world has arguably
never been more important.

Thank you to the Sunday team for their help in making this
programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people
shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews
from the BBC, including episodes with the Archbishop of
Canterbury Sarah Mullally, former California Governor Jerry
Brown, and Princess Diana’s brother Earl Spencer. You can listen
on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at
0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out
three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your
podcasts.

Presenter: Julie Etchingham Producers: Catherine Murray and Ben
Cooper Editor: Farhana Haider

Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the
hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

(Image: Archbishop Paul Gallagher. Credit: Getty)