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                               VIS-Press releases

RESUMPTION OF TALKS BETWEEN THE HOLY SEE AND THE PLO

VATICAN CITY, 9 DEC 2010 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the
following English-language communique at midday today:

"Talks between the Holy See and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO)
resumed this morning at the Headquarters of the Palestinian president, Mahmoud
Abbas, in Ramallah, following the Basic Agreement signed in 2000. The talks
aimed at a comprehensive international agreement regulating and promoting the
presence and activities of the Catholic Church in the Palestinian Territories,
so strengthening the special relations between the Holy See and the PLO.

"The talks were co-chaired by Msgr. Ettore Balestrero, under secretary for the
Holy See's relations with States, and Ziad Al-Bandak, the president's advisor
for Christian relations. The talks were held in a cordial atmosphere.

"Both sides agreed on establishing a working group to elaborate the
aforementioned comprehensive agreement.

"The Holy See delegation was composed of Archbishop Antonio Franco, apostolic
delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine; Bishop Salim Sayegh, vicar general of the
Latin Patriarchate in Amman; Msgr. Maurizio Malvestiti, under secretary of the
Congregation for Oriental Churches; Msgr. Alberto Ortega, official of the Holy
See Secretariat of State; Msgr. Waldemar Sommertag, counsellor of the apostolic
delegation in Jerusalem; Ghassan Faramand, legal advisor, and Fr. Emil Salayta,
president of the ecclesiastical tribunal court in Jerusalem.

"The Palestinian delegation was composed of Nabil Shath, member of the PLO
central committee; Nimer Hamad, presidential advisor; Ambassador Shawqi Armali;
Ramzi Khouri, head of the Palestinian National Fund, Bernard Sabella, member of
the PLC, and lssa Kassissieh, deputy head of the Negotiations Affairs
Department".
OP/VIS 20101209 (270)

SUMMARY

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