Medvedev to visit Vatican to discuss interconfessional dialogue

Medvedev's wife, Svetlana, will accompany him during the visit.

"This will be the first visit to the Holy See by a Russian leader since the establishment of full-fledged diplomatic relations in 2009," presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko said.

He recalled that Russia had raised the level of its representation in the Vatican to embassy.

"The biggest part of the discussion will focus on philosophical matters," the aide said. Among the topics for discussion he named "cooperation in international organisations, interaction between scientific and educational institutions, and work with young people".

"Medvedev and Benedict XVI will dwell specifically on the development of interconfessional dialogue," Prikhodko said.

He said that relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Curia might also be discussed.

A source in the Russian delegation told Itar-Tass that "prospects fore a meeting between the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Pope are more real than several years ago" and "the atmosphere is also more conducive".

Russia has noted that "the dialogue between the two Churches has intensified and become more regular", "reproaches can no longer be heard" and "Pope Benedict XVI is less politicised than John Paul II", the source said.

"During negotiations Russia and the Holy See plan to synchronise their watches on foreign policy issues, taking into account the closeness of their positions based on the priority of international law and moral principles in interstate communication," Prikhodko said; Kazinform cites Itar-Tass.

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