Pope, British prime minister meet, discuss dialogue with Islam

Published: 2006-06-05

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In a meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Pope Benedict XVI underlined the need to keep dialogue open with "moderate Islam." In a statement issued the same day, June 3, the Vatican said controversy over Iran's nuclear program can and should be resolved through dialogue and diplomatic moves that "respect the honor and sensitivity of every country." Blair's government has backed U.S. efforts to pressure Iran into abandoning its nuclear program. The pope met one-on-one with Blair for 40 minutes at the Vatican and afterward greeted Blair's wife, Cherie, and two of their four children. It was his first meeting as pope with the British leader. Vatican and British sources said afterward the private talks covered a wide range of issues, including the role of religion in politics and in society, the threat of global terrorism, international aid to Africa, and new developments in the Middle East and Northern Ireland.

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