Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made the first political visit by a leader from the communist country to the Vatican Thursday, sitting down for a meeting with Pope Benedict in Benedict's private library.

The half-hour talk was an important step towards mending tense diplomatic relations that have persisted for decades, the Vatican press office said. 

"The Holy See has expressed its satisfaction with the visit, which marks a new, important step toward the normalization of bilateral relations," a statement said.

The visit from Dung, accompanied by his official in charge of religious affairs, underscored Vietnam's determination to be integrated into the world community, religious observers said.

It has been speculated that Vietnam, home to six million Catholics, is hoping to receive Catholic assistance in medical care and other services for its people if it establishes official ties with the church.

While relations have been improving between Vietnam and the Vatican, the Catholic Church has long disapproved of Vietnam ignoring the Pope's authority by having the government make church appointments.

Communist Vietnam has also been wary of religious movements, and had considered the previous pope, John Paul II, an enemy who helped defeat Communism in the former Soviet Union.

In recent years, the Vatican praised Vietnam for making progress towards "opening new spaces of religious freedom for the Catholic church" in the country.

The Vatican said it hoped dialogue would "lead to a fruitful co-operation between church and state, so that Catholics can … make a positive contribution to the common good of the country."

On Tuesday, Ho Chi Minh City Archbishop Jean-Baptiste Cardinal Pham Minh Man said formal ties should soon be established.

Other positive signs for the church included the ordination in 2005 in Vietnam of dozens of priests in a ceremony led by a top Vatican cardinal.

Vietnam has the second-largest Catholic population in Southeast Asia, after the Philippines.

With files from the Associated Press