Salahaddin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRP.org) – President Barzani met with Cardinal Leonardo Sandri of the Roman Catholic Church who is in visiting Kurdistan to find out about the situation of Christians in the region.

Cardinal Sandri, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, conveyed the greetings of Pope Benedict XVI to President Barzani and to the Kurdish people, and said the Pope and the Catholic Church are pleased about the peaceful co-existence and tolerance that exists in Kurdistan.



“I convey to you the Pope’s and Catholic Church’s gratitude to you for providing sanctuary to Christians fleeing from other parts of Iraq, and for your efforts to promote peace and co-existence in the whole region,” said Cardinal Sandri.



For his part, President Barzani said the Kurdistan Regional Government considers it a duty to help Christians and other communities, and a top priority to maintain traditions of tolerance and peaceful co-existence in Kurdistan.