The President and Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (Vatican City), Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran and Archbishop Pier Luigi Celata, paid a visit to H.E. Mr. Nabil Al-Arabi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Arabic Republic of Egypt and newly elected Secretary General of the League of Arab States, during his visit to Rome on Wednesday, 18 May 2011.

At this meeting, the Minister conveyed the greetings of Sheikh Al-Azhar, Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayyib, and expressed the desire of the Grand Imam that the recent difficulties in the relationship with the Holy See would be overcome.

Cardinal Tauran reiterated the esteem of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the people and authorities of Egypt and the Holy See’s readiness to continue on the path of interreligious dialogue and cooperation with Al-Azhar, carried on regularly since 1998.

[00777-02.01] [Original text: English]