Readout of the Vice President's Meeting with Holy See Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin

Today, Vice President Mike Pence welcomed to the White House Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin to reaffirm the strong and enduring cooperation between the United States and the Holy See. The leaders underscored the fundamental values shared by the United States and the Holy See and their mutual commitment to engage globally to promote human rights, combat human suffering, and protect religious freedom. The Vice President expressed gratitude for the Holy See's efforts to restore democracy in Venezuela and looked forward to Pope Francis' upcoming visit to Burma and Bangladesh. The leaders agreed on the need to address humanitarian and stabilization needs across Iraq and Syria, including for Christians and other vulnerable minority communities. The Vice President also commended the Holy See's efforts to counter trafficking in persons and expressed the desire to expand cooperation between the United States and the Holy See on this issue, which is a priority for the Administration.