El Pais: Madrid's archbishop denies press reports on PJD

Madrid's archbishop on Wednesday denied having refused to meet a visiting delegation of Morocco's Islamist moderate party, the Justice and Development Party (PJD), as was reported by El Pais newspaper.

"Saad Eddine Othnami started badly his visit (to Spain) as both the associations of March 11 events victims and Madrid's archbishop refused to meet him though PJD booked an appointment weeks ago," wrote El Paid on Monday.

The Spanish newspaper relayed, however, on Thursday Madrid's Archbishop denial of what came on the article on PJD.

PJD's Secretary general, Saad Eddine Othmani, said he was stunned with the article, assuring that he met with the main associations of terrorism victims in Spain.

"El Pais journalist was ill-intentioned as the Party has never asked to meet Madrid's archbishop. We wanted to visit the Spanish Catholic Church and the meeting was not possible for agenda reasons," he told MAP.

PJD's Secretary General, accompanied by a large delegation, met Monday with chairwoman of the Association of March 11 victims, Pilar Manjon, and officials at the association of terrorism victims (AVT).