The United Nations special rapporteur on religion, Abdelfattah Amor, has left Vietnam after a ten-day visit, during which planned contacts with dissident clerics are reported to have been obstructed by the Communist authorities.

Mr Amor cancelled several interviews which had been arranged with the foreign media for the end of his mission.

But he confirmed that he had been unable to see representatives from a number of religious communities, including the secretary-general of the unofficial Unified Buddhist Church, Thich Quang Do, who was released from detention in September.

Mr Amor is to present his findings to the United Nations Human Rights Commission in March.

The Vietnamese authorities yesterday denied any interference in Mr Amor's visit.