” “This morning, Seyyed Mohammad Khatami, former president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, visited Benedict XVI. Then he met the secretary of state, card. Tarcisio Bertone, accompanied by mgr. Dominique Mamberti, secretary for the relations with the States. "The conversations states a note from the newsroom of the Holy See lingered on the importance of a serene dialogue between cultures, aimed at overcoming the serious tensions that are affecting our time and at promoting a fruitful cooperation at the service of peace and the development of all peoples. They also mentioned the conditions and problems of the Christian communities in the Middle East and in Iran. As to the situation of the Middle East, they insisted on the need for powerful initiatives from the international community as it is happening over these days at the Sharm-el-Sheikh Conference for opening serious negotiations, that must keep into account everyone’s rights and interests, in the respect of international legality and in the awareness that mutual trust must be rebuilt".” “
