"It is also essential to make joint efforts to stop the deterioration of moral values and fight poverty, terrorism and other crimes," the minister said while addressing the Bordeaux Religious Leaders Summit.

He announced the plan to establish an international interfaith dialogue center in Vienna. "Saudi Arabia, Austria and Spain have agreed to sign an agreement to establish the center within a few weeks," he said.

The new center will be named after Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, who initiated the dialogue between various faith communities.

"The world is badly in need of peace, security and prosperity and establishment of justice and love and Saudi Arabia gives utmost importance to these principles and values," Muammar said.

He referred to the growing number of crimes, cases of poverty in different parts of the world and the damage caused to the environment, adding that these challenges required joint action by all faith groups.

Muammar emphasized the importance of promoting dialogue between followers of the various religions and cultures in order to create understanding and make use of their synergy for the progress and prosperity of the whole humanity.

"Dialogue is essential to understand the similarities of the various religions and cultures and strengthen cooperation among peoples," he said.

King Abdullah visited the Vatican in Rome and held talks with Pope Benedict XVI in July 2007. The historic meeting, the first between a Roman Catholic pope and a Saudi king, took place during his European tour.

In June 2008, King Abdullah invited 500 Islamic scholars and Muslim leaders from the different parts of the world to discuss the need for promoting interfaith dialogue. He launched the first dialogue conference in Madrid on July 16, 2008 attended by 300 leaders representing Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. "If we want to make this gathering successful, we have to look at the things that unite us, most importantly the faith in God and the noble values and morals that represent the basis of religions."