The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Pope agreed to seek closer relations between Anglicans and Catholics at a meeting in Rome, the Vatican has said.

罗马教廷称，在罗马举行的一场会议上，坎特伯雷大主教和教皇同意寻求圣公会和天主教更近一层的关系。

It follows tensions over the Vatican's offer to welcome disenchanted（不再抱幻想的） Anglicans into the Catholic fold.

Pope Benedict's proposal would allow Anglicans to convert while preserving many of their traditions and practices.

A Vatican statement said the "cordial（热忱的，诚恳的）" talks reiterated² "the shared will" to move toward closer relations.

It said the discussions, which lasted around half an hour, "also focused on recent events between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion."

It was the first meeting between the Pope and the Archbishop, Dr Rowan Williams, since the Vatican initiative.

The archbishop, who is head of the 70 million-strong worldwide Anglican Communion, has said he does not believe the initiative（第一步，首创精神） will harm relations.

Some Anglicans have accused the Pope of interfering³（妨碍，干涉） at a sensitive time for the Church of England.

'Negative' issues

The Vatican says its invitation came in response to pleas from Anglicans unhappy about the creation of women bishops⁴.

BBC Rome correspondent Duncan Kennedy said: "The way the commentators⁵ are looking at this is that it is good the two men are talking, but really one meeting is not going to resolve the differences between the two sides over these really large issues that separate them."

Dr Williams has signalled he would like to build a new relationship, emphasising shared fundamental beliefs rather than "negative" secondary issues such as women clergy⁶（牧师，神职人员）, our correspondent added.

Another cause of discord⁷（不一致） in the worldwide Anglican communion has been the election of an openly gay bishop¹ and the blessing⁸ of same-sex unions.

Under the terms of the Pope's proposed Apostolic Constitution, groupings of Anglicans would be able to join "personal ordinariates".

This would allow them to enter full communion with the Catholic Church, which has more than one billion members worldwide, but also preserve elements of the Anglican traditions.

The first English clergy could convert early next year.