To mark tomorrow's 10th World Press Freedom Day, the World Association of Newspapers invited heads of state and government from around the world to comment on press freedom. Of course they said it was a good thing, but some of them couldn't resist revealing their mixed feelings about a "free press".

The Pope, for example, said: "The proper exercise of the right to information demands that the content of what is communicated is true and - within the limits set by justice and charity - complete." Like other leaders, he was interested in emphasising press "responsibilities" as well as "rights".

President Wahid of Indonesia seemed more inclined to run the risk of a genuine free press. Having abolished Indonesia's repressive Department of Information, he acknowledged that much reporting in the country's now-more-free press "is inaccurate, unbalanced, manipulative and often in violation of generally accepted moral and ethical values. This is a price we have to pay in the learning process . . ."

A couple of leaders were concerned about ownership. Sweden's prime minister Goran Persson, said: "Only a press characterised by diversity - both as regards opinions, technologies and ownership - can be really said to be free."

Thabo Mbeki, president of South Africa, said all people should be able to express their opinions and access media that reflect their lives: "Press freedom is not the exclusive right of the press or the media generally.

"It is an inherent right of all people everywhere . . . Nor can any of us remain content when press freedom in its fullest sense remains in practice something enjoyed mainly by an elite - urban rather than rural, rich rather than poor, industrialised rather then developing . . .

"It must be a priority to ensure that freedom of the press is enjoyed to the full by all . . . . Thus will all of humanity, on all continents, became informed and active citizens of the global village."