Patriarch Hazim discusses with Canterbury archbishop conditions in Jerusalem

Patriarch Ignatuis IV Hazim for Antioch and the all-East for the Greek-Orthodox church met on Thursday in Damascus with Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey for a round of talks.

The meeting was attended by the secretary general of the Middle East Churches Council Rev. Riyadh Jarjour, and the bishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East for the Anglican church, Rabah Abu al-Asaal.

Talks dealt with issues pertaining to occupied Jerusalem and the attempts made by Israel to "Judaize the holy city."

The participants in the meeting underlined the significance of Jerusalem for all Christians in the world and the need to enable the Palestinian people to restore their national legitimate rights, underlining the importance of preserving the Arab-Christian presence in the holy city which was described by Archbishop Carey as the "city of churches mother."

Patriarch Ignatius and Archbishop Carey asserted the need for united and serious efforts to preserve the Arab identity of the city and perpetuate Arab-Christian presence in it, so the holy city is not to undergo measures eliminating its Arab identity.

For his part, Bishop Rabah Abu al-Asaal said during the talks that Lambeth's recent conference which was attended by 760 archbishops representing the Anglican church in the world was very clear in its support for the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the establishment of their own independent state on their national soil and that Jerusalem, being very important for the three divine religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) cannot be a key for peace if it remains under the authority of the Israeli occupation.

He stressed that Jerusalem would be the capital of the Palestinian state.

Earlier in the day, Archbishop Carey met with Patriarch Zakka Ewas al-Awwal I of Antioch and the whole East, the higher chairman of the Assyrian - Orthodox church in the world.

Archbishop Carey also visited the Greek-Catholic patriarchy and met with Patriarch Esidour Bateikha.