March 23, 2003	Sunday	Muharram 19, 1424

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ROME, March 22: The Vatican would reject any request from Washington to sever diplomatic ties with Iraq, a senior cardinal at the Holy See was quoted as saying on Saturday.

Cardinal Paul Poupard said the Holy See would neither withdraw its representatives in Baghdad nor expel Iraqi diplomats accredited to the Vatican.

“I’m not aware of a request and it’s not in my competence to deal with it but certainly the Holy See will not withdraw its own nuncios and will not break any diplomatic relations,” Poupard told newspaper Corriere della Sera.

“(The Vatican) will always take the opportunity to maintain every possible channel of communication, above all at times of conflict,” he said.—AFP