Foreign Minister Anifah Aman will officially open the Malaysian Embassy to the Vatican during his three-day working visit to the Holy See from May 8 to 10, according to a Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) statement in Putrajaya today.

"The opening of the embassy marks an important milestone and will elevate relations between Malaysia and the Holy See to greater heights," it said.

During this inaugural visit, too, Anifah is scheduled to meet his counterpart the Most Reverend Archbishop Paul Gallagher and Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

They are scheduled to discuss regional and global issues of common concern during which Anifah would relay Malaysia's stand and views on matters affecting the international community, the statement said.

The visit would also provide Malaysia with the opportunity to expound on the concept of moderation under the Global Movement of Moderates (GMM) initiative, which was aimed to promote tolerance, understanding and respect through upholding the values of moderation and the rejection of extremism, it added.

The GMM initiative was formulated based on Malaysia's experience in successfully developing its political, economical and social infrastructure by providing an environment of racial and religious harmony, the statement said.

Diplomatic ties between Malaysia and the Holy See were formally established on July 27, 2011 subsequent to the working visit of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to Vatican City in July, 2011.

Ever since then, bilateral relations between Malaysia and the Holy See had witnessed a positive trajectory, the statement added.

- Bernama