Pope meets Italian Prime Minister for talks on Europe
Pope Benedict XVI received Italy’s Prime Minister, Mario Monti, for about 45 minutes
on Monday afternoon at the Apostolic Summer retreat of Castel Gandolfo. A communiqué
from the Press Office of the Holy See says the Pope and the Prime Minister held a
cordial round of talks during which they touched in particular on the European situation,
on the main challenges facing the European Union. They specially focused on the contribution
that citizens, and especially the young generations can make to the human and spiritual
growth of Europe. The two men have met several times since Monti was last November
asked by President Giorgio Napolitano to form a new technocratic government in the
wake of the Italian debt crisis.
Following his meeting with the Pope, Prime
Minister Monti will on Wednesday hold discussions on the Eurozone crisis with German
Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. The Italian Prime Minister will then meet with
French President Francois Hollande in Rome on September 4th.