Leaders of the Protestant church in Switzerland have condemned the Vatican's latest declaration on the primacy of Catholicism, describing it as a blow against church unity.

The president of the Federation of Protestant Churches, Thomas Wipf, said on Wednesday he regretted that the Vatican had once again put forward a position which separated rather than united the Christian faith.

He said the latest edict by the Catholic church "Dominus Jesus", presented on Tuesday, was not a new position. And he added that new tendencies within the Roman Catholic church were reviving "positions long considered to have been overtaken".

The federation said it believed the positive ecumenical climate in Switzerland would continue despite the Vatican's declaration.

The Swiss League of Catholic Women also issued a statement stressing the need for continued dialogue "without judging the worth of other religions".

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