Grand Imam of al-Azhar receives Austrian foreign minister

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Mohammad Sayed Tantawi received Tuesday Austrian Foreign Minister Benita-Maria FerreroWaldner and her accompanying delegation.

Tantawi praised the strong relations binding Egypt and Austria and the mutual respect between their two peoples, hailing Austria as a friendly country that respects Islam.

Al-Azhar denounced the aggression on Washington and New York, he said, adding the Muslim creed is against injustice and aggression against Muslims or non-Muslims.

"We call on the United States to patiently seek the culprits and bring them to trial, but it should not attack a state of innocent men, women and children," said Sheikh Tantawi.

Waldner expressed satisfaction with her meeting with the highest religious authority, calling for cooperation to confront those who have terrorist ideology.

She pointed out that there is no clash of civilizations or religions.

"Austria acknowledges that Islam is a religion of tolerance," said the foreign minister, adding that the Egyptian community in Austria is living in peace and security. Minister of Awkaf (Endowments) Mahmoud Hamdy Zaqzouq and Austrian Foreign Minister strongly condemned the attacks against Washington and New York, asserting that such crimes were rejected by all religions.

This came during a meeting held yeserday betwen Zaqzouq and the Austrian official and her accompanying delegation, currently visiting Cairo.

Zaqzouq said that Islam did not justify any terrorist attack, addling that the culprits must not go unpunished.

He said that the perpetrators must be brought to justice and that the real reasons behind terrorism must be found and dealt with. Tension in the Middle East is one of the reasons that helps terrorism grow, said the minister, stressing the importance of solving the Middle East problem.

On her part, the Austrian minister said that Muslims in Austria were being well-treated, adding that Islam was officially recognized in her country in 1912.

The Austrian minister said that she was mulling over holding a symposium on dialogue of civilizations in Vienna soon and invited minister Zaqzouq to visit Austria.