Dr. Abāss Shūman, deputy of the Azhar,  denied claims in international media that the Azhar and the Vatican have signed an agreement to combat slavery. Shūman stated that Dr. Mahmūd ‘Azab, the representative of the Azhar in the conference that was held at the Vatican to discuss the prospects of cooperation between the adherents of the different religions, does not have the right to sign agreements in the name of the Azhar before presenting it to the Azhar Shaykh and getting prior approval (Marwá al- Bashīr, al- Ahrām, March 19). Read original text in Arabic.