Joint Communiqué
The Bilateral Permanent Working Commission between the State of Israel and the Holy See has held a Plenary meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel today, Thursday, 13 December 2007, for the purpose of advancing the negotiations pursuant to Article 10 §2 of the Fundamental Agreement between the Holy See and the State of Israel (30 Dec.1993).
The Delegation of the State of Israel was led by Mr. Aaron Abramovich, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and was composed, in addition, of the following Members:
- Mr. Shmuel Ben-Shmuel, Head of World Jewish Affairs & Interreligious Affairs Department, MFA
- Mr. Oded Ben-Hur, Ambassador of the State of Israel to the Holy See
- Mr. Ehud Keinan, Legal Adviser, MFA
- Mr. Oded Brook, Official of the Ministry of Finance
- Mr. Moshe Golan, the State Attorney's Office
- Mr. Bahij Mansour, Director of Religious Affairs Department, MFA
- Mr. Ronen Gil-Or, Adv., Director of General Law Department, MFA
- Mr. Eliav Benjamin, Director General's Bureau, MFA
- Ms. Yael Weiner, Ministry of Justice
- Ms. Leah Antebe, Ministry of the Interior
The Delegation of the Holy See was led by Monsignor Pietro Parolin, Undersecretary for Relations with States at the Secretariat of State, and was composed, in addition, of the following Members:
- HE Archbishop Antonio Maria Vegliò, Secretary of the Congregation for Oriental Churches
- HE Archbishop Antonio Franco, Apostolic Nuncio in Israel
- HE Bishop Giacinto Boulos Marcuzzo, Latin Auxiliary Bishop
- Msgr. Franco Coppola, Official of the Secretariat of State
- Msgr. Anani Nicodème Barrigah-Benissan, Counselor of the Apostolic Nunciature
- Msgr. Paolo Borgia, First Secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature
- Archimandrite Maher Aboud
- Father Pierre Grech, Secretary General of the Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries
- Father Dobromir Jasztal, OFM
- Father David-Maria A. Jaeger, OFM, Legal Adviser
- Mr. Henry Amoroso, Second Legal Adviser
- Father Giovanni Caputa, sdb, Secretary
The delegations met in an atmosphere of cordiality, mutual understanding and good will, received with satisfaction the progress reported from the working level, and gave guidelines for the continuation of its work. Among other things, it was agreed to resume the activity of the Working Group on Individual Properties.
The two delegations expressed their determination to accelerate their work in order to achieve further advances in the coming months and to conclude the Agreement as soon as possible.
It was agreed to hold the next Plenary meeting in May 2008, at the Vatican.