(Vatican Radio) On Thursday morning Pope Francis received in audience King Abdullah II of Jordan and his wife Queen Rania.

Please find below Vatican Radio's translation of the communiqué released by the Vatican Press Office after the meeting.


On the morning of Thursday August 29th 2013 Pope Francis received their Majesties the King of Jordan, Abdullah II, and Queen Rania. Later, the Hashemite sovereign met with His Eminence Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State, who was accompanied by Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for Relations with States.


Several themes of common interest were addressed during the course of the cordial
encounter, most importantly the promotion of peace and stability in the Middle East, with a
particular focus on the restarting of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, and on the
question of Jerusalem. Special attention was reserved for the tragic situation in which Syria finds
itself. In this regard, it was reaffirmed that the path of dialogue and negotiation between all
components of Syrian society, with the support of the international community, is the only option
to put an end to the conflict and to the violence that every day causes the loss of so many human
lives, especially amongst the helpless civilian population.


Appreciation was also expressed for King Abdullah’s commitment in the field of
interreligious dialogue and for the initiative of convening a conference in Amman, at the
beginning of the month of September, on the challenges that Christians in the Middle East will
have to face, in particular during this period of socio-political transformations. Finally,
recognition was expressed for the positive contribution that Christian communities bring to the
local society, of which they are an integral part.