ARCHBISHOP BEGINS ARMENIA VISIT
Martha Linden, PA

Press Association Newsfile
September 22, 2007 Saturday 2:46 AM BST

The Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams begins a week-long
visit to Armenia, Syria and Lebanon today.

Dr Williams will begin his tour in Armenia, where he will visit a
range of significant religious and national sites, as well as holding
discussions with the Armenian government.

The visit to Armenia comes after an invitation from the Catholicos,
His Holiness Karekin II, who heads the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Lambeth Palace said Dr Williams’ visit to Syria and Lebanon would be
shorter and forms part of his continuing personal engagement with
Christian churches in the Middle East, and with leaders of other
faiths in the region.

The visit takes place at the invitation of the Anglican Bishop of
Jerusalem, Suhail Dawani, whose diocese covers these countries,
and is being arranged in collaboration with the Middle East Council
of Churches.

In Syria, as well as meetings with Christian leaders and the local
Anglican community, the Archbishop will meet the Grand Mufti of Syria
and the country’s President, Dr Bashar Al Asad.