‘Vatican-Azerbaijan relations are good example for others’

Pope Benedict XVI believes the Vatican-Azerbaijan relations are a good example for others. "The Vatican makes every effort to develop relations with the world countries, and the Holy See’ relations with Azerbaijan can serve as a positive example,” Benedict XVI said during his annual address to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Vatican, the Azerbaijani ambassador to the Vatican Elchin Amirbekov said.
 
Amirbekov said Benedict XVI cited the bilateral agreement signed with Azerbaijan in 2011 on the status of the Catholic Church in the country as an example.

Further, during a tête-à-tête meeting with the Ambassador, the Pope reiterated that the Vatican attaches a great importance to the bilateral relations and conveyed the New Year greetings to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Mehriban Aliyeva.
 
Amirbekov expressed his gratitude and re-invited, on behalf of the country’s leadership, the Pope to visit Azerbaijan. Benedict XVI accepted the invitation with great pleasure.

In July 2011, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and Secretary for the Vatican's Relations with States Archbishop Dominique Mamberti signed a protocol on exchanging ratification documents to the "Agreement on the Legal Status of the Catholic Church in Azerbaijan between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Holy See" signed on April 29, 2011, in Baku.


/Trend/