Pope invites Muslim envoys for meeting

Published September 23, 2006

VATICAN CITY, Sept 22: Pope Benedict has invited the ambassadors of Muslim countries at the Vatican, as well as leaders of Italy’s own Muslim community, to a meeting on Monday at his summer palace, a senior Vatican official said on Friday.

The meeting is part of the Vatican’s diplomatic efforts to explain to offended Muslims that a speech in Germany last week seen as portraying Islam as violent has been misunderstood.

“We welcome it and are definitely going to participate,” said Iran’s deputy ambassador to the Holy See, Ahmad Faihma.—Reuters

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