Vatican City - Secret Vatican archives on Pope Pius XII's controversial World War II pontificate will not be made public for at least another "six or seven years," the papal spokesman said Thursday.

"Before then, it is unrealistic to think (they) will be made accessible to researchers," Father Federico Lombardi was quoted as saying by the ANSA news agency.

Lombardi was commenting on requests made by Jewish groups and many historians for access to its records on the war-time pontiff, who some accuse of not speaking out against the Nazi murder of the Jews, the Holocaust.

Last week, the Vatican announced Pope Benedict XVI was putting on hold moves to have Pius beatified - an important step towards Roman Catholic sainthood - taking time for "reflection" on the issue.

The German-born Benedict has repeatedly praised Pius, including in an October 9 mass commemorating the 50th anniversary of the pontiff's death.

According to Lombardi, archive material relating to the period amounted to 16 million papers requiring a "long and patient" cataloging process.

"Naturally, once the ordering work has been completed, given that the secret archives belong to the Pope, the final decision on their opening rests with the Holy Father," Lombardi said.

Representatives of the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations, on Thursday issued the latest request to the Vatican to open the archives.

The group's president, Rabbi David Rosen, made the appeal during a meeting with Benedict at the Vatican, ANSA said.

The Vatican has repeatedly defended Italian-born Pius XII - who reigned from 1939 until his death - citing his instructions that Jews be sheltered from the Nazis in Catholic homes, hospitals, convents and monasteries.

This behind-the-scenes approach, Pius' supporters argue, managed to avoid provoking further Nazi action that would have worsened the situation. (dpa)