Pope Benedict XVI calls for reciprocity with Islam

May 15, 2006, 14:32 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI on Monday called on Islamic countries to safeguard Catholics living there and on both Muslims and Catholics to show 'mutual respect' towards each other.

Addressing a Vatican conference on immigration to and from the Islamic world, Benedict said the Roman Catholic Church was 'committed' to interreligious dialogue.

'We are living at a time in which Christians are called to nurture an open style of dialogue on religious issues,' Benedict said.

At the same time, 'we are increasingly aware of the importance of reciprocity' - a term used to indicate the need for Islamic countries to allow their Christian minorities to build churches and live their faith just as Muslims are allowed to frequent mosques existing in predominantly Christian nations like Italy.

The 79-year-old pontiff has made inter-religious dialogue one of the priorities of his pontificate, meeting Islamic leaders during his first trip to Germany and openly condemning the Mohammed cartoons published in the Danish media.