VATICAN CITY, 17 (AP) - Cuba's foreign minister called on Pope John Paul II on Monday, and the Vatican used the occasion to push for more religious freedom on the communist-run island.

The pontiff granted Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque a private audience and the Cuban also met with the Vatican's secretary of state and foreign minister.

Regarding church-state relations, ``the minister has restated the will of his government to favor a mutual, harmonious collaboration,'' Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said.

``For its part the Holy See has expressed a wish for ever greater religious liberty in the wake of what the Holy Father affirmed in his historic visit in January 1998,'' the Vatican spokesman said.

During his visit to Cuba, John Paul made blunt calls for more freedoms, including that of expression.

After nearly 40 years of tensions following the 1959 Cuban revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power, church-state relations have improved over the last few years, especially following John Paul's visit.

Christmas, for example, has been reinstated as a permanent holiday on the island thanks to the pope's visit.

AP-NY-01-17-00 1221EST

Copyright 2000 The Associated Press.

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