Pope Benedict holds 1st private meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair

Pope Benedict XVI meets Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair (R) at the Vatican June 3, 2006.
REUTERS/Osservatore Romano
VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Benedict and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, holding their first private talks Saturday, discussed the role religion could play in politics and society, including the battle against terrorism.

Blair, his wife and their children were received in a private audience in a visit to the Vatican that lasted about an hour. It was Blair's first private meeting with Benedict, elected last year, although Cherie Blair had met the Pope in April when she participated in a Vatican conference on children.

Smiling broadly, Blair shook hands with the Pope and sat in the papal study for what the Vatican described as "cordial" talks.
The two explored "the contribution which common values between religions can give to dialogue, in particular with moderate Islam, above all on the themes of solidarity and peace," Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said.

A British government spokesman said Blair and the pope discussed the need for moderate religious leaders around the world to work against extremism and terrorism.

Also discussed was the need to help Africa with development and peace efforts, as well as Northern Ireland's peace process, Navarro-Valls said.

Italian state TV said Blair encouraged the Pope to visit Britain, although there was no mention of that in the Vatican statement.

On Friday, Blair held talks in Rome with Italy's new premier Romano Prodi about the Italian troop withdrawal from Iraq, which Prodi has said will be completed this year.
Blair also prayed at the tomb of Pope John Paul, according to Britain's Press Association.

I like Tony Blair and am hoping that he converts to Catholicism. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall during their private talks.
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