The Vatican on Friday expressed ''astonishment'' over Belgium's decision to lodge an official complaint to the Vatican over recent comments by Pope Benedict XVI against the use of condoms to prevent AIDS in Africa.
''It would appear to be obvious to any democratic country that the Holy Father and the Catholic Church are free to express their own positions,'' said Vatican Spokesman Federico Lombardi.
''It also needs to be asked whether the Holy Father's position has been considered with sufficient attention and seriousness, or instead through a subjective and unbalanced filter of news items in the Western press,'' he added.
The pontiff grabbed headlines worldwide last month after saying condoms not only do not help, but ''increase the problem'' in the spread of AIDS, as he spoke to journalists on a flight taking him to Africa.
Benedict's comments came under heavy fire from AIDS agencies, humanitarian organisations, the European Commission and various European governments.
