|PIC1|The head of the Vatican office for healthcare has said that fidelity in marriage and premarital abstinence from sex are key weapons in the fight to contain the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan revealed at a HIV/AIDS conference earlier in the week that the Vatican may not release a document in response to the recent papal study on HIV prevention and condom use.

The 200-page papal document prepared by the office of Cardinal Barragan on the limited use of condoms to prevent the transmission of HIV was passed on last November to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith which was to add its own theological and doctrinal opinions, before it was again passed on to the Pope for his consideration.

While the document, not to be made public, "shows the desire of the Pope" to fight HIV/AIDS and demonstrates that "he is not indifferent to this difficult problem," Cardinal Barragan said that it was still unclear whether the Vatican would issue a document on the subject.

The cardinal advised the Pope last November that a limited use of barrier contraception might be acceptable in the fight against AIDS.

He maintained at the conference, however, that fidelity in marriage and premarital abstinence from sex are still the key weapons in the fight against AIDS, reports AP.

The Vatican has consistently opposed any use of condoms, the Pope telling African bishops in a speech in June 2005 that contraception was one of many trends contributing to a "breakdown of sexual morality".

Any alteration in position from the Pope would be a historic shift in Vatican policy on the use of condoms.

Karen Stanecki, senior adviser to UNAIDS, said UN officials are "very pleased that Pope Benedict has been speaking more about AIDS in his speeches".

Wednesday's conference was sponsored by the US embassy to the Holy See.