Azerbaijan, Baku, 3 March / corr Trend S.Agayeva / The cancellation of the Vatican Secretary of State's visit to Armenia in connection with recent developments in Yerevan will not affect his visit to Azerbaijan. Cardinal Tarchizio Bertone will arrive in Azerbaijan on 6-9 March as was originally scheduled, Elchin Amirbayov, the Azerbaijani Ambassador to Switzerland, told Trend over the telephone from Bern on 3 March.
The secretary of state plans to hold talks with the leadership and religious authorities of Azerbaijan to mull over the development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Vatican. He plans to meet with the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister Artur Rasizade, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, Sheik-ul-Islam of Caucasus Haji Allahshukur Pashazade, the Chairman of the State Committee for Religious Establishments, Hidayat Orujov, as well as heads of religious confessions, the Ambassador said. During the visit the Cardinal will visit mosques, Orthodox churches and synagogues.
He is planning to participate in the ceremonial opening of the Catholic church in Baku at 10, Nobel Ave.
The construction of the church was financed by the Roman-Catholic Church.
The Azerbaijani catholic community comprises of approximately 250 people, including foreign catholic believers of the same number residing and working in the country temporarily.