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Belgium Attacks Pope, Wants to Improve International Reputation
06/10/2009 :: Last April, the Belgian government, at the request of the Belgian Parliament, had its ambassador to the Vatican officially protest against a statement by Pope Benedict XVI that the use of condoms alone will not be able to stop AIDS spreading in Africa. The Belgian Chamber of Representatives, including the Christian-Democrats, approved a resolution condemning the “unacceptable papal remarks” about condoms. The Vlaams Belang was the only party to vote against the resolution. VB Representative Alexandra Colen said that Belgium is violating the separation of Church and State by criticizing the Pope for defending Catholic doctrine.
The Vatican reacted by “deploring the fact that a parliamentary assembly should have thought it appropriate to criticize the Holy Father on the basis of an isolated extract from an interview” and added that “some groups [clearly intend] to intimidate, as if to dissuade the pope from expressing himself on certain themes of obvious moral relevance and from teaching the Church's doctrine.”
Image Manager
VB Senator Karim Van Overmeire is convinced that incidents like this will not improve Belgium’s international reputation. Belgium is listed 152nd in a list ranking 200 countries by their reputation, behind countries such as Algeria, Romania, Libya and even Liberia. Belgium’s reputation badly affects the export-oriented Flemish economy.
The Flemish regional government recently decided to appoint a “Flemish image manager,” whose task it is to improve Flanders’ international image. Senator Van Overmeire emphasized that the international image of Flanders is better than that of Belgium. He warned, however, that the French-speaking Belgian establishment attempts to harm Flanders by depicting the Flemings as intolerant xenophobes because they want to preserve their national identity and aim for independence. Belgium’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karel De Gucht, actively opposes the establishment of Flemish diplomatic missions abroad.
As long as Belgium exists, Flemish “image managers” will not be able to achieve much and Flanders will remain a victim of Belgium’s dreadful reputation.
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