VATICAN CITY/ITALY : IRAQ'S INTERIM PRIME MINISTER IYAD ALLAWI MEETS WITH ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER SILVIO BERLUSCONI AND POPE JOHN PAUL

Record ID: 345128

  • Title: VATICAN CITY/ITALY : IRAQ'S INTERIM PRIME MINISTER IYAD ALLAWI MEETS WITH ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER SILVIO BERLUSCONI AND POPE JOHN PAUL
  • Date: 4th November 2004
  • Summary: VARIOUS NEWSPAPER HEADLINES READING, 'America has done it, Bush has America and Goodnight America'. Initials
  • Embargoed: 19th November 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ROME, ITALY AND VATICAN CITY
  • City:
  • Country: Italy Vatican City State
  • Topics: General,Politics,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA8SAP7OKD7TVNOEK0780QEMXPQ
  • Story Text: Iraq's interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi met with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Pope John Paul while Italians digest the news from U.S.
    Iraq's interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi called for countries who are spectators of the war in Iraq to become involved in reconstructing the country following a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Thursday (November 4).
    "We are determined to return to the international community," Allawi told a news conference.
    Allawi is on a trip to Europe aimed at drumming up support for Iraq, even as several European countries said they intended to scale back their military presence.
    Hungary on Wednesday (November 3) said its 300 troops would be withdrawn from Iraq by the end of March 2005.
    Poland intends to scale back its forces after the Iraqi elections scheduled for January. Germany and France have refused to become involved.
    But Berlusconi, an ardent supporter of U.S. President George W. Bush, reiterated that Italy would not be pulling its 3,000 troops, that make up the third largest contingent in Iraq after the United States and Britain.
    Italy will remain in Iraq to give assistance according to the requests forthcoming from the legitimate Iraqi government Berlusconi said.
    Later on, Allawi met Pope John Paul, who was an outspoken critic of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. The Pope told Allawi he hoped a democratic and multi-ethnic Iraq would emerge from "the tragic sufferings of recent years."
    The ailing 84-year-old Roman Catholic leader met Allawi for about 10 minutes in his private library in the Vatican's apostolic palace.
    Before the U.S.-led invasion, the Pope led an international campaign to try to avert the war, sending senior cardinals to both U.S. President George W. Bush and former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
    Meanwhile on the streets of Rome, Italians and tourists alike gave a mixed reaction to the result of the American elections.
    "I think that the war in Iraq will be a second Vietnam it will go on and on - I think it is very sad and I am disappointed," said an Australian tourist who had hoped the war in Iraq would end sooner if Democrat John Kerry won.
    "I hope things get better and he (Bush) doesn't make the same mistakes" said Italian Claudia Marchi, sitting on the Spanish steps.
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