Pope begins streamlining Vatican bureaucracy

VATICAN CITY, Mar 11 (Reuters) Pope Benedict today began a long-awaited streamlining of the Vatican's central bureaucracy by merging the leadership of four departments, including one which promotes dialogue with Islam.

A statement said the Pope had appointed French Cardinal Paul Poupard, who is already head of the Pontifical Council for Culture, to also lead the Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

A statement said the Pope was making the move ''in order to favour a more intense dialogue between men of culture and exponents of various religions''.

The former head of the interreligious department, English Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, was named last month to be the Vatican's new ambassador to Egypt and the Cairo-based, 22-member Arab League.

The Council for Interreligious Dialogue deals with all non-Christian religions except for Judiasm, which has its own separate department.

In another merging of duties, Cardinal Renato Martino, head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, was also given the presidency of the department that defends the rights of migrants. The previous president has retired.

The reduction in the number of presidencies was seen as an initial step in the re-organisation of the Curia, as the Vatican's central administration is known.

The Pope is expected to discuss changes to the Curia with Church leaders from around the world who will come to Rome at the end of this month for the installation of 15 new cardinals.

Vatican sources say the Pope believes the number of departments in the Curia has grown too much in recent decades, with some of their work overlapping more than necessary.

REUTERS CH HT1907