Vatican City, Oct 18, 2014 / 02:49 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis met with Vietnamese prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung Saturday morning, which is a move seen as a important step in strengthening ties between the Vatican and Vietnam.

A statement released by the Vatican regarding the Oct. 18 encounter explained that during their “cordial conversations,” the Pope and the prime minister both expressed satisfaction in the meeting’s discussion.