Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend S.Agayeva / Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Secretary of State of Vatican will pay an official visit to Azerbaijan approximately in February 2008, Elchin Amirbayov, the Azerbaijani Ambassador in the Sacred Throne, said on 29 October.
The Pope of Rome's Representative on South Caucasus, Claudio Gugeretti, is holding talks in Baku on preparations for the Secretary of State's upcoming visit, the ambassador said. Bertone will commence his tour from Azerbaijan and they visit Georgia and Armenia.
The secretary of state plans to hold talks with the leadership and religious authorities of Azerbaijan to mull the development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Vatican, the Ambassador said.
During his visit to Azerbaijan the Secretary of State will participate in the opening of a catholic church in Baku (10, Nobel Ave). The Rome Catholic church financed the construction of the church.
Azerbaijani catholic community unites approximately 250 people and the same number of foreign catholic believers temporarily residing and working in Azerbaijan.