Sudanese president to visit Vatican 13 September
September 8, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — President Omer al-Bashir, will on Thursday 3 September, start an official visit to the Vatican and Italy at the head of a high-ranking delegation. He will hold talks with Pope Benedict XVI and the Italian President and Prime Minister.
During the visit, President Al-Bashir will hold meetings with the Pope of the Vatican Benedict XVI and the Prime Minister of the State of the Vatican. The president will also meet visit Italy and meet with the Italian President and the Italian Prime Minister. The delegation accompanying the president would hold meetings with the officials in the two states.
Sudanese ambassador to France and non-resident ambassador to the Vatican Ahmed Hamid al-Faki said that a number of issues would be discussed during the visit including boosting the relations between Sudan and the Vatican and issues related to the inter-religious dialogue, the official SUNA reported.
Sudan would brief the officials in the Vatican on progress of the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the efforts for realizing peace in Darfur besides the religious coexistence in Sudan and the inter-religious dialogue conferences held in Sudan in the past period.
The high-level delegation comprises a number of ministers and senior government officials, Islamic and Christian clergymen, businessmen and leaders of media and press institutions.
The Vatican has a resident embassy in Khartoum and that Sudan endeavors to have a resident diplomatic representation in the Vatican. A delegation from the Vatican participated in the Islamic-Christian Dialogue Conference, which was held in Khartoum recently.
(ST)