ID :
161728
Thu, 02/17/2011 - 07:48
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Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/161728
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Medvedev to visit Vatican to discuss interconfessional dialogue
ROME, February 17 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
will visit the Vatican on Thursday, February 17, for talks with Pope
Benedict XVI and Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.
Medvedev's wife, Svetlana, will accompany him during the visit.
"This will be the first visit to the Holy See by a Russian leader
since the establishment of full-fledged diplomatic relations in 2009,"
presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko said.
He recalled that Russia had raised the level of its representation in
the Vatican to embassy.
"The biggest part of the discussion will focus on philosophical
matters," the aide said. Among the topics for discussion he named
"cooperation in international organisations, interaction between
scientific and educational institutions, and work with young people".
"Medvedev and Benedict XVI will dwell specifically on the development
of interconfessional dialogue," Prikhodko said.
He said that relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the
Roman Curia might also be discussed.
A source in the Russian delegation told Itar-Tass that "prospects fore
a meeting between the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church and the
Pope are more real than several years ago" and "the atmosphere is also
more conducive".
Russia has noted that "the dialogue between the two Churches has
intensified and become more regular", "reproaches can no longer be heard"
and "Pope Benedict XVI is less politicised than John Paul II", the source
said.
"During negotiations Russia and the Holy See plan to synchronise their
watches on foreign policy issues, taking into account the closeness of
their positions based on the priority of international law and moral
principles in interstate communication," Prikhodko said.
The leaders will discuss "a new architecture of European security and
bilateral interaction in international organisations such as the U.N., the
Council of Europe, and the OSCE", he said.
"The heads of state will discuss cultural events to be held this year,
specifically the lending of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio's painting
"The Entombment of Christ" from the collection of the Vatican museums for
an exhibition in Moscow, and the holding of the exhibition "Faberge. Holy
Images" in the Vatican museums," the aide said.
will visit the Vatican on Thursday, February 17, for talks with Pope
Benedict XVI and Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.
Medvedev's wife, Svetlana, will accompany him during the visit.
"This will be the first visit to the Holy See by a Russian leader
since the establishment of full-fledged diplomatic relations in 2009,"
presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko said.
He recalled that Russia had raised the level of its representation in
the Vatican to embassy.
"The biggest part of the discussion will focus on philosophical
matters," the aide said. Among the topics for discussion he named
"cooperation in international organisations, interaction between
scientific and educational institutions, and work with young people".
"Medvedev and Benedict XVI will dwell specifically on the development
of interconfessional dialogue," Prikhodko said.
He said that relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the
Roman Curia might also be discussed.
A source in the Russian delegation told Itar-Tass that "prospects fore
a meeting between the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church and the
Pope are more real than several years ago" and "the atmosphere is also
more conducive".
Russia has noted that "the dialogue between the two Churches has
intensified and become more regular", "reproaches can no longer be heard"
and "Pope Benedict XVI is less politicised than John Paul II", the source
said.
"During negotiations Russia and the Holy See plan to synchronise their
watches on foreign policy issues, taking into account the closeness of
their positions based on the priority of international law and moral
principles in interstate communication," Prikhodko said.
The leaders will discuss "a new architecture of European security and
bilateral interaction in international organisations such as the U.N., the
Council of Europe, and the OSCE", he said.
"The heads of state will discuss cultural events to be held this year,
specifically the lending of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio's painting
"The Entombment of Christ" from the collection of the Vatican museums for
an exhibition in Moscow, and the holding of the exhibition "Faberge. Holy
Images" in the Vatican museums," the aide said.
