ROME, Jan 20 (AFP) - The Vatican laid down the law on condoms to Roman Catholic bishops across the world on Thursday, saying the ultimate aim of forbidding the use of condoms was to discourage fornication.
"The use of prophylactics is unacceptable even as a solution to the problem of AIDS, because the objective is the fight against fornication," said Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, the Vatican's health secretary.
His comments in an interview with the left-wing daily La Repubblica follow a row the day before when Spanish bishops briefly appeared to openly defy the Vatican stance, by suggesting for the first time that the use of condoms was a legitimate barrier to the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Barragan rejected the notion that the Catholic Church's position was too severe.
"Because there's a second element in the fight against AIDS and that is the campaign against fornication. The sixth commandment says it clearly: do not fornicate. It's not a negative position. We are doing it to defend life."
The prelate however recognized the right of a spouse whose husband has HIV/AIDS to demand that he use a condom.
"I maintain that it is her right. Yes, she has the right to ask her husband to use a condom," he said.
But the cardinal said the Church "has not changed and will not change it principles" adding "the position of the Spanish bishops is that of all the Church."
"The doctrine of the Holy Father is global and is aimed at combatting AIDS with all means to fedend life, but always according to two principles, follow the path of chastity and not to fornicate".
Spanish bishops moved quickly late Wednesday to quash any notion of a sea-change in its attitude to the use of prophylactics, saying remarks by one of its bishops had been misunderstood and that doctrine remained as before.
"Contrary to what some have said, it is not true that the Church has changed its position on condoms," the Spanish bishops' conference said in a statement, clarifying what it said were comments by its spokesman which were taken out of context in a "brief response" to journalists.
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