(MENAFN) Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Archbishop Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s secretary for relations with states and international organizations, at the Vatican on Tuesday to discuss bilateral relations and regional issues, according to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

The officials exchanged views on the current state of Azerbaijan–Holy See relations and identified potential areas for expanded cooperation. Both emphasized the importance of maintaining high-level exchanges, citing recent visits by President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva.

The ministry noted that the discussion highlighted ongoing humanitarian and cultural restoration projects in the Vatican supported by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. They also referenced Aliyeva’s visit to the Bambino Gesu pediatric hospital and underscored the significance of collaboration in health-related initiatives.

The talks recalled previous papal visits to Azerbaijan—Pope John Paul II in 2002 and Pope Francis in 2016—and mentioned the ongoing construction of a Catholic church in Baku named after John Paul II. Both sides agreed that the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027 would provide an opportunity to further strengthen cooperation.

Bayramov briefed Gallagher on Azerbaijan’s efforts to promote religious tolerance and safeguard religious heritage, including Christian sites. He also highlighted the country’s presidency of COP29, its contributions to energy security, and its role in regional transport corridors.

Additionally, the minister provided updates on the normalization process with Armenia, agreements reached at the Washington summit, and recent regional developments.

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