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Pope Benedict XVI (L)
talks with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari at
his summer residence of Castel Gandolfo. The pontiff
discussed religious freedom in Iraq during an
audience with Zebari. Photo : AFP |
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (AP) 25.Aug. - Pope
Benedict and Iraq's foreign minister met Thursday
and discussed the country's draft constitution, as
well as the importance of ensuring religious freedom
in Iraq, the Vatican said.
The meeting with Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari was
held at the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, a
town in the hills outside Rome where Benedict has
been spending the summer. Zebari also met with the
Vatican's secretary of state, Angelo Cardinal Sodano.
The talks focused on the current situation in Iraq,
particularly the "important theme" of religious
freedom, as well as the text of Iraq's new
constitution, the Vatican said in a statement.
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The talks focused on the current situation in Iraq,
particularly the "important theme" of religious
freedom, as well as the text of Iraq's new
constitution, the Vatican said in a statement.
"It was underlined how the reconstruction of
institutions must occur in a climate of dialogue
that sees all religious groups and various
components of society involved," said a statement
from the Vatican deputy spokesman, the Rev. Ciro
Benedettini.
Christians are believed to make up about three per
cent of Iraq's 26 million people, most of them
Chaldeans, Assyrians and Roman Catholics.
Archbishop Fernando Filoni, the Vatican's apostolic
nunzio in Baghdad, told Vatican Radio the meeting
was an "important moment" in its relations with
Iraq. He said Rome was able to learn about key
aspects of the proposed constitution concerning
religious freedom and relations between Muslims and
Christian minorities.
The Vatican fears that any legal system based on
Islamic law might not guarantee the rights of
religious minorities.
Filoni said the Chaldean patriarch as well as Iraqi
bishops and some Islamic leaders had discussed the
future of Islam and Christianity. "They also
repeated how religious liberty should be
guaranteed," he said.
On Friday, Zebari is to travel to the Adriatic beach
resort of Rimini for talks with his Italian
counterpart, Gianfranco Fini.
The Vatican opposed the war in Iraq, and Benedict's
predecessor, John Paul, spoke out strongly against
it.
Benedict has not weighed in recently on the merits
of the war itself, but last month he decried the
continuing violence.
In a message of condolence July 29 after the death
of two Algerian diplomats, he called "for all those
tempted to resolve conflicts by the path of violence
to have a burst of humanity and justice, in the
legitimate respect of people."
"No man's death can be the solution to any demand
whatsoever, and cannot turn the murderers into
partners for dialogue or for peace," the telegram
said.
AP
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