Pope John Paul II received Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov in the Vatican

Pope John Paul II received Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov in the Vatican today. Igor Ivanov is currently in Italy on an official visit. The meeting was held in the Vatican's Library and lasted about 20 minutes. After that the Russian Minister had a talk with Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Secretary of State of the Holy See, as well as with his Vatican counterpart Cardinal Jean-Jouis Tauran, RIA Novosti announces. The talks in the Vatican lasted altogether about an hour, after which Ivanov left for negotiations with Lamberto Dini, head of the Italian foreign policy department. Although journalists were allowed into the Vatican's yard, according to the local rules, it is not customary for them to ask questions on the territory of the Holy See. The details of the meetings which Igor Ivanov had today will become known after the press conference following the negotiations in the Foreign Ministry of Italy.