Pope Urges Dialogue Between Christians and Muslims

Pope Benedict XVI today told Muslim diplomats "our future" depends on dialogue between Christians and Muslims.

The pontiff was seeking to calm the anger caused by a speech earlier this month in which he quoted a medieval ruler who called some of the prophet Muhammad's teachings "evil and inhuman".

Today's comments came ahead of a meeting of diplomats from 21 countries and the Arab League, called to mend relations after the controversial speech, delivered in Regensburg, Germany.

"The circumstances which have given rise to our gathering are well known," Pope Benedict told the meeting.

Speaking in French, he said Christians and Muslims must work together to "guard against all forms of intolerance and to oppose all manifestations of violence".

He said dialogue between the two "cannot be reduced to an optional extra", adding that he had called the meeting to "strengthen the bonds of friendship" between both.

He also quoted from his predecessor, John Paul II, who had close relations with the Muslim world, stating the need for "reciprocity in all fields", including religious freedom.

After his five-minute speech at the papal palace in the Alban Hills, near Rome, Benedict greeted each envoy, clasping their hands warmly.

Amongst the predominantly Muslim nations with diplomatic relations to the Vatican, only Sudan did not participate in today's meeting. Saudi Arabia does not have diplomatic relations with the Holy See.

A diplomat from Indonesia - where tensions between Christians and Muslims were heightened by the execution of three Christian militants by the authorities last week - also attended. The Pope had appealed for the men's lives to be spared.

Turkey was represented, and the pontiff also invited leaders of Italy's small Muslim community.

As he left the meeting, the Iraqi envoy, Albert Edward Ismail Yelda said he hoped it would end anger over the papal remarks.

"The holy father stated his profound respect for Islam," he said. "This is what we were expecting. It is now time to put what happened behind [us] and build bridges."

Mohamed Nour Dechan, the head of the Union of Islamic Communities, an Italian Muslim group, said the pontiff had given a "very clear, very intelligent speech".

The Pope last week apologised for the comments, which sparked protests in Muslim countries, including Indonesia and Iran, and attacks on Christian churches.

He said the medieval text he had quoted did not in any way express his personal opinion.

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, accused him of committing the world's biggest Christian church to what he claimed was a "crusade" against Islam launched by the US president, George Bush.