Pope Francis's meeting with Kim Davis "should not be considered a form of support of her position", the Vatican has said.

After days of confusion, the Vatican issued a statement clarifying Pope Francis's September 24 meeting with Mrs Davis, a county clerk in Kentucky who has become a focal point in the gay marriage debate in the US because of her refusal to sign marriage licences for gay couples.

The Vatican said Pope Francis met with many people during his US stay, due to his "kindness and availability".

The statement said: "The Pope did not enter into the details of the situation of Mrs Davis and his meeting with her should not be considered a form of support of her position in all of its particular and complex aspects."

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