http://www.boston.com/dailynews/138/world/Italy_Vatican_reach_accord_on_:.shtml

Italy, Vatican reach accord on radio emissions dispute

By Associated Press, 5/18/2001 17:27

ROME (AP) Vatican Radio said Friday it will move one of its main transmitters out of Italy to resolve a dispute over the health effects of its radio waves.

On Friday night, the Vatican and the Italian government announced a compromise to end the dispute, which at one point saw Italy's environment minister threaten to pull the plug on the broadcaster.

Vatican Radio broadcasts Pope John Paul II's words around the world. It had been under pressure to reduce electromagnetic emissions because some people living near the transmission facility believe they are a health hazard.

Under the accord, the Italian government will pay for the Vatican to move its transmitter for medium-wave radio programs. Vatican Radio said in a statement that European transmitting centers have been contacted to try to find a new site by the end of August. No countries were named.

Transmission of short-wave radio will continue at the Italian site, but shorter antennas will be use to reduce emissions, Italian state TV reported.

''We hope all can be satisfied because a solution has been found,'' said Vatican Radio's director, the Rev. Federico Lombardi.

Earlier this month, Vatican Radio agreed to reduce some short-wave transmissions to comply with tough Italian environmental protection regulations, which are stricter than those of many other countries.

An Italian prosecutor has charged Lombardi and two other Vatican officials, including an Italian cardinal, with damaging the environment. It was not immediately clear if the trial would still begin in the fall in view of the new agreement.

The Vatican has said the transmissions conform to less strict international standards, and it maintains its officials are shielded from prosecution under a 1929 pact with Italy that established Vatican City as an independent city-state.

The Vatican's transmission center in the small town of Santa Maria di Galeria, outside of Rome, was erected when the area was still sparsely populated.

The Italian Foreign Ministry said that the Holy See had asked Italian authorities to guarantee that no more housing will be built close to the transmitting center.

-- Anonymous, May 19, 2001

Answers

Oo's got a new computer, then?

How is it?

-- Anonymous, May 19, 2001