Pope meets President of Albania

Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday morning met with the President of the Republic of Albania, Bamir Topi, who later met with the Cardinal Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone and his Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti.

According to a statement released by the Holy See Press Office, their conversation was cordial, and discussed the good relations between the Holy See and Albania. The two men discussed issues surrounding the relations between the ecclesial and civil communities, including inter-religious dialogue and the contributions by the Church in fields of education and social development. They also spoke about Albania’s plans for further integration into the European Union.

The Pope and President Topi also exchanged their views on the current international and regional situation, with particular attention to the global economic crisis.