Arab League official visits Pontiff

(April 25, 2009) The secretary-general of the League of Arab States on Friday held private meetings with Pope Benedict XVI and Vatican secretary for relations with states, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti. The previous day, Thursday, Amre Moussa, the Arab League’s secretary-general and Archbishop Mamberti had signed an official memorandum of understanding to strengthen joint projects to promote peace and dialogue, especially on a political and cultural level. A Vatican statement said Friday’s discussions highlighted the "importance of the agreement, which seeks to favour an ever greater collaboration between the two parties in favour of peace and justice in the world. The Vatican confirmed there was an "interchange of ideas on the international situation, in particular in the Middle East, and on the need to find a just solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, and to the other conflicts that grieve the region."