Vatican: Obama promises pope he will decrease abortions (Roundup)

Jul 10, 2009, 18:12 GMT

Vatican City - In their first ever meeting, Pope Benedict XVI and US President Barack Obama, focused Friday on some of the major issues dividing them, including abortion, as well as shared concerns on the global economic crisis and food security, the Vatican said.

Through 'cordial exchanges,' their conversation turned 'first of all,' to questions such as the 'defence and promotion of life and the right to abide by one's conscience,' the Holy See said in a statement.

The pro-choice Obama told the pontiff, who staunchly opposes the termination of pregnancies, that he is committed to reducing the number of abortions in the US, the Vatican's chief spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi, told reporters after the meeting.

Earlier Benedict, spiritual leader to the world's 1.1 billion Roman Catholics, received Obama, a Protestant Christian, in the private papal library situated in the tiny city-state's Apostolic Palace in talks that lasted for around 35 minutes.

A 'charismatic' Obama left the pontiff 'extremely satisfied, happy and serene,' with the meeting, Lombardi said.

In particular, they were in 'general agreement' on the question of the Middle East peace process and a 'two-state solution' to Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The two leaders, who have both shown a willingness to reach out to Muslims, also discussed inter-faith dialogue and development aid, 'especially for Africa and Latin America.'

The afternoon talks started shortly after Obama flew in to Rome by helicopter from the central Italian city of L'Aquila where, together with leaders of the world's most advanced and emerging nations, he attended the concluding sessions of a three-day long Group of Eight (G8) summit.

'Welcome Mr President,' the German-born pontiff said speaking in English and smiling broadly.

'It's a great honour, thank you so much,' Obama replied, bowing respectfully as the pontiff clasped his hand.

The two then sat down facing each other across a desk, as photographers clicked away.

'You must be used to having your picture taken,' the Obama quipped. 'I'm still getting used to it,' the 82-year-old pontiff replied.

As the photographers were being ushered away for the start of the private meeting, Obama, apparently replying to a question from Benedict on the outcome of the G8 said: 'very productive.'

Subsequently, the two leaders emerged from the library into a hall where, the Vatican said, they were joined by Obama's wife Michelle and their two daughters Malia and Sasha.

The US First Lady, dressed in black, including a veil covering her hair, was warmly greeted by the pontiff, Vatican television footage showed. Images of the children were not broadcast.

Obama, the Vatican said, briefed the pontiff on some of the G8 summit's results, including commitments on fighting poverty, climate change and food security - concerns highlighted by Benedict in his new encyclical, Charity in Truth, which was published on Tuesday.

Benedict presented Obama with a signed copy of the encyclical booklet bound in white leather and a mosaic depicting St Peter's Square.

But in a previously unannounced gesture which, Lombardi later said, had 'no polemical' intention, the pontiff also gave Obama a copy of a Vatican bio-ethics document which condemns stem cell research using embryos - something the US president has promoted.

For his part Obama, according to Vatican officials, gifted the pope a stole once preserved with the remains of St John Neumann,a 19th century US saint.

Earlier Friday, the US First Lady and her children were taken on a tour of some of Vatican's most famous sites, including St Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel.

As part of tight security measures for the presidential visit, Italian authorities cordoned off roads near Vatican City which is situated near Rome's city centre.

In the late evening, the US presidential family was scheduled to fly to Ghana - since taking office, the first visit to sub-Saharan Africa by Obama, the son of a Kenyan father.