On Wednesday, February 13, Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II met the Saudi Ambassador Ahmad Al-Qatān at Saint Mark Cathedral in al-'Abāsīyyah. The Church confirmed that the Ambassador came to congratulate the Pope on taking the Papal seat. In meeting with the Pope, the Ambassador illustrated his participation in dialogue between religions. King ʻAbd Allāh ibn ʻAbd al-ʻAzīz Āl Sa‘ūd (Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud), the King of Saudi Arabia, had called for this dialogue in Vienna last year.

In a press statement following the meeting, Qatān said: “Although it is illegal to build churches in Saudi Arabia, we respect all faiths”. The Kingdom deals respectfully with people of all faiths, including Shī'ahs.

On the topic of Egyptian prisoners in Saudi Arabia, the Ambassador said that there are about two million Egyptians living in Saudi Arabia with fewer than one thousand Egyptians in Saudi prisons ('Imād Khalīl, al-Misrī al-Yawm, Feb. 14, p. 6).  Read original text in Arabic