Tuesday, December 14, 2004

IRAQ: PROTECTING CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES


VATICAN CITY, DEC 14, 2004 (VIS) - Joaquin Navarro-Valls, director of the Holy See Press Office, made the following declaration yesterday afternoon after the meeting of Hoshyar Zebari, minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq, with Pope John Paul and then Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of State.

  "In the course of the conversations the situation in Iraq and the Middle East in general was examined.

  "The minister thanked His Holiness and his aides for the help they have always demonstrated toward Iraq and he confirmed his government's commitment to promote religious freedom and, in particular, to defend Christian communities.

  "In the discussions the painful scourge of terrorism was deplored once again, in the hopes for a speedy return to respecting for moral values which are the basis of all civilizations."
OP/.../IRAQ:ZEBARI                        VIS 20041214 (140)


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