Politics
Italy: Saudi king to hold landmark meeting with pope
Rome, 5 Nov.(AKI) - Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Bin-Abd-al-Aziz Al Saud arrived in Italy late on Monday with a 22-member delegation for a two-day visit to the capital, Rome. During his stay he was due to meet Italy's president Georgio Napolitano, prime minister Romano Prodi and Pope Benedict XVI - for the first time.
Diplomatic sources told Adnkronos that the visit was taking place in the context of a consolidated relationship between Italy and Saudi Arabia. The leaders will sign on Tuesday sign several key accords in the areas of counter-terrorism, defence, higher education, professional training and health, the sources said.
Abdullah's talks with top government and institutional representatives are expected to centre on international politics, especially Lebanon, the Arab-Israeli peace process, Iraq and Iran's nuclear file.
Italian diplomats told Adnkronos they will be asking Abdullah and his delegation to elaborate on a recent Saudi proposal for a consortium of Gulf states to enrich uranium in a 'neutral country' as a way out of the international crisis over Iran's nuclear programme.
Abdullah's first official engagement was a dinner on Monday as Napolitano's guest at the Quirinale Palace - official residence of the Italian president.
The Saudi monarch is due on Tuesday to pay an historic visit the Vatican - a state with which Saudi Arabia does not have diplomatic relations - for an audience with Benedict XVI.
Custodian of the Mecca and Medina mosques in Saudia Arabia - two of the holiest Muslim sites - Abdullah is the first Saudi king to meet a pope.
Discussions between Abdullah - viewed as a moderate reformer - and Benedict XVI are expected to focus on increasing dialogue between Catholics and Muslims.
Although it does not have diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia, the Vatican has ties with many other Islamic nations.
It is forbidden to practise Christianity inside Saudi Arabia and illegal to bring symbols from religions other than Islam into the country. Bibles and crucifixes must be left at the border.
The Vatican has stressed its demands for "reciprocity" meaning that countries such as Saudi Arabia should ease limits on worship by Christians and other non-Muslims.
Church relations with Muslims were badly strained last year after a speech by the pontiff in Germany linking Islam to violence. Benedict later said he regretted that Muslims were offended by his remarks, and the Vatican has since tried to improve relations with Muslims.
Abdullah will on Tuesday meet Rome's mayor and leader of the newly formed centre-left Democratic Party, Walter Veltroni. Also on Tuesday, he will meet Prodi during a meeting of the joint Italo-Saudi Business Council taking place at Rome's Excelsior Hotel.
Abdullah will later hold separate talks with Prodi and Italy's foreign minister Massimo D'Alema at the Renaissance Villa Madama, where he is staying during his visit.
Abdullah is on a 13-day European tour that has already taken in Britain and includes Germany and Turkey on the next leg of his journey.
Diplomatic sources told Adnkronos that the visit was taking place in the context of a consolidated relationship between Italy and Saudi Arabia. The leaders will sign on Tuesday sign several key accords in the areas of counter-terrorism, defence, higher education, professional training and health, the sources said.
Abdullah's talks with top government and institutional representatives are expected to centre on international politics, especially Lebanon, the Arab-Israeli peace process, Iraq and Iran's nuclear file.
Italian diplomats told Adnkronos they will be asking Abdullah and his delegation to elaborate on a recent Saudi proposal for a consortium of Gulf states to enrich uranium in a 'neutral country' as a way out of the international crisis over Iran's nuclear programme.
Abdullah's first official engagement was a dinner on Monday as Napolitano's guest at the Quirinale Palace - official residence of the Italian president.
The Saudi monarch is due on Tuesday to pay an historic visit the Vatican - a state with which Saudi Arabia does not have diplomatic relations - for an audience with Benedict XVI.
Custodian of the Mecca and Medina mosques in Saudia Arabia - two of the holiest Muslim sites - Abdullah is the first Saudi king to meet a pope.
Discussions between Abdullah - viewed as a moderate reformer - and Benedict XVI are expected to focus on increasing dialogue between Catholics and Muslims.
Although it does not have diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia, the Vatican has ties with many other Islamic nations.
It is forbidden to practise Christianity inside Saudi Arabia and illegal to bring symbols from religions other than Islam into the country. Bibles and crucifixes must be left at the border.
The Vatican has stressed its demands for "reciprocity" meaning that countries such as Saudi Arabia should ease limits on worship by Christians and other non-Muslims.
Church relations with Muslims were badly strained last year after a speech by the pontiff in Germany linking Islam to violence. Benedict later said he regretted that Muslims were offended by his remarks, and the Vatican has since tried to improve relations with Muslims.
Abdullah will on Tuesday meet Rome's mayor and leader of the newly formed centre-left Democratic Party, Walter Veltroni. Also on Tuesday, he will meet Prodi during a meeting of the joint Italo-Saudi Business Council taking place at Rome's Excelsior Hotel.
Abdullah will later hold separate talks with Prodi and Italy's foreign minister Massimo D'Alema at the Renaissance Villa Madama, where he is staying during his visit.
Abdullah is on a 13-day European tour that has already taken in Britain and includes Germany and Turkey on the next leg of his journey.
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