ugnet_: Pope Urges BRITISH PM to Avert War

[Matekopoko]

VATICAN CITY (Feb. 22) - Pope John Paul on Saturday urged British Prime Minister Tony Blair, one of Washington's staunchest allies in the Iraq crisis, to make every effort ''to avert the tragedy of war.''

During a private audience that lasted about 30 minutes, the pope appealed for peace, saying he hoped that ''in the grave situation in Iraq, every effort be made to avoid new divisions in the world,'' the Vatican said in a statement.

Blair, who is an Anglican, shook the pope's hand and sat next to him during their discussions. The 82-year-old pontiff received Blair's wife Cherie, a devout Catholic, and their children at the end of the audience, the Vatican said.

Faced with strong opposition in Britain to U.S.-led military action in Iraq, Blair became the latest of several world leaders to visit the pope to discuss the crisis.

The two men do not see eye-to-eye on the issue of a potential war, but during his visit to Rome Blair has tried to stress common ground between them, saying the pope is ''reluctant to go to war except as a last resort. That is our position.''

''I obviously know the views of the pope and they are very clear,'' he said on Friday when asked about the upcoming audience. ''But there is a moral dimension to this question too. If we fail to disarm Saddam peacefully, then where does that leave the authority of the United Nations?.''

TRAGEDY OF WAR

The Vatican, however, has refused to bless a possible attack on Iraq as a ''just war'' and on Saturday urged all parties to collaborate with the United Nations ''to avert the tragedy of a war that so many think is still avoidable.''

Asked whether the case for peace was stronger after Blair's visit, Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls told Vatican Radio in an interview: ''I think so. I think that in the end that is what the international community wants.''

The pope, who has also received U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz and German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer in recent weeks, has said he believes a conflict in Iraq could unleash terrorism and kill civilians.

Blair's unflinching support of President George W. Bush's tough stance on Iraq has proved unpopular at home. Nearly one million Britons made clear their anti-war stance in a march through London last weekend.

Pressure mounted this week when British church leaders described the prospect of war in Iraq as ''deeply disturbing.''

But Blair has stuck to his guns, warning that the world must disarm Iraqi President Saddam Hussein or face dire consequences and said he was working with Washington on a second U.N. resolution that could be presented next week.

''I totally understand and share the dislike of any member of the church or of wider society for war...but in the end I can't avoid it unless Saddam chooses the route of peaceful disarmament,'' he said at a press conference in Rome on Friday.

On his first official visit to the Vatican, Blair presented the pope with a porcelain vase with an image of Downing Street inside and a bronze statue of St Margaret of Scotland. 

Reut12:04 02-22-03