Pope Meets with President Abbas

(08 Oct 09 - RV) Pope Benedict has called for a "just and lasting" solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, in which "the rights of all are recognized and respected."
The Popes’ message was contained in Vatican Press Office statement released following his private audience with Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority.
President Abbas was also received by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State, and Msgr. Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for Relations with States.
The talks were held in Pope Benedict XVI’s private library and lasted about 15 minutes. But before the doors were closed upon the two men the Pope asked Abbas him about the outcome of recent meetings in New York with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama.
After the private meeting, the President Abbas presented the Pope members of his entourage, among others, Saeb Erekat, who is leading negotiations with the Israelis, commenting that "he has a very important job to do."
During Thursday's meeting, Abbas presented Benedict with a tiled scene of Old Jerusalem with the words “Jerusalem, capital of Arab culture” written in Arabic and English.


Pope Benedict, for his part, presented Abbas with a large pewter bas relief depicting St. Peter's Square.


"During the cordial talks – read the statement released by the Vatican - after recalling the journey of the Holy Father to the Holy Land, discussions turned to dialogue on the Middle East and in particular the need to find a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in which the rights of all are recognized and respected. In this regard the importance of cooperation and mutual respect between the parties was highlighted as well as the support of the international community ".
"Reference - concludes the communiqué -was also made to the situation of Catholics in Palestine, and more generally in the region, and their contribution to society and peaceful coexistence among peoples."