AMMAN, Feb 17: Pope Benedict XVI would meet Muslim notables on a trip to Jordan in May and call for improving interfaith dialogue, a church official said on Tuesday.

“The pope will meet Islamic leaders and deliver a speech to affirm the importance of interfaith dialogue between Christians and Muslims,” Refaat Badr, the spokesman for the Roman Catholic Church in Jordan, said.

The pontiff would travel to Jordan on May 8-11 at the beginning of a trip that was also expected to take him to Jerusalem, Nazareth and Bethlehem, Mr Badr said.—AFP