met Muslim leaders in Egypt to lay the foundations for Pope John Paul Il's proposed interfaith meeting in the year 2000.
Cardinal Francis Arinze, the Vatican co-ordinator of dialogue with Islam, said he found a spirit of co-operation among the Muslim leaders he met, who he said were open to the idea of a summit between the three major monotheistic faiths to mark the new milknium.
Cardinal Arinze said: "The Holy Father has emphasised that it would be beautiful for Jews, Christians and Muslims to be able to meet in a place sacred to the tradition of all, for-example Mount Sinai, Jerusalem or Bethlehem.
"This doesn't mean everything will be resolved immediately, but the ideas are moving ahead." The Cardinal met with the Grand Mufti of Egypt, Mohamed Sayed Tantawi, whose verdict on Islamic law is highly respected.