The Vatican:The plight of endangered Christians in Iraq featured prominently in discussions between Pope Benedict XVI and US president George W. Bush in the Vatican on Saturday.
Making a one-day stopover in Rome, Mr Bush had his first audience with the pope on a day when he also met Italian prime minister Romano Prodi, state president Giorgio Napolitano, opposition leader Silvio Berlusconi and representatives of the Catholic lay community St Egidio.
Like his predecessor, Benedict has been an outspoken critic of the US-led war in Iraq. In his 31-minute meeting with Mr Bush, the pope focused on the plight of the Christian Chaldean community in Iraq, a point confirmed by the US president when speaking at a news conference on Saturday afternoon: "I was talking to a very smart, loving man. After 6½ years of being president, I've been to some unusual places and met some interesting people, and I was in awe. It was a moving experience for me.
"He [Pope Benedict] was concerned that the society that was evolving [in Iraq] would not tolerate the Christian religion, but I assured him that we were working hard to make sure that people lived up to the constitution - the modern constitution voted on by people from different walks of life and different attitudes," Mr Bush said.
A Vatican statement confirmed that the two men had touched on a wide range of issues. "On the question of the Middle East, particular attention was given to the Israeli-Palestinian question, to Lebanon, to the worrying situation in Iraq and to the critical conditions being experienced by the Christian communities. On the part of the Holy See, hope was once again expressed in a 'regional' and 'negotiated' solution to the conflicts and crises afflicting the region. Discussions also turned to the question of Africa and its development, also with reference to Darfur, and there was an exchange of opinions on Latin America."
The two men exchanged warm smiles and handshakes after the audience.