December 28, 2013
The Vatican says Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has sent a message to Pope Francis, illustrating his country’s position ahead of the upcoming peace conference aimed at resolving the crisis in the Arab country.
On Saturday, Vatican said in a statement that a delegation headed by Syrian Minister of State Joseph Sweid met with Archbishop Pietro Parolin, the Pope’s secretary of state, and his secretary for relations with states, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti.
“The delegation brought a message from President Assad for the Holy Father and illustrated the position of the Syrian government,” said the Vatican statement without providing further details.
Vatican sources said the message likely informed Pope Francis of Syria’s stance ahead of the peace conference, dubbed Geneva II, which is scheduled to open on January 22, 2014, in the Swiss city of Montreux, near Geneva.
In September, Pope Francis held a global day of prayer and fasting for peace in Syria. During the event, the Argentine pontiff voiced strong opposition to US plans to launch a military offensive against the Arab country.
In the same month, he wrote a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, encouraging the world leaders attending the Group of 20 Summit in Saint Petersburg to abandon the “futile pursuit” of a military solution for Syria, which has been the scene of unrest since March 2011.
MKA/SS
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