Pope Benedictus XVI met on Wednesday in the Vatican with the Syrian Vice President Farouk A-Shara who conveyed a personal message to him from Syrian President Bashar Assad. According to media reports in Italy, the two discussed the Iraqi refugees in Syria, the problems concerning the Christian community in Syria, but focussed mainly on the situation in the Middle East.
A-Shara is scheduled to meet with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi on Thursday night.
Meanwhile, President Shimon Peres who is also visiting in Rome met with Prodi and is to meet with Pope Benedictus XVI on Thursday.
Prodi also meet with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora on Tuesday.
It appears that the majority of the Middle East leaders are meeting in Rome appears to be proof of Italy's intentions and
that of Pope Benedictus XI to become more involved in the Middle East peace process. Europe's diplomatic efforts to become more involved in the Middle East appear to be intensifying. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner is due to visit the Middle East next week and the EU envoy Xavier Solana has just completed a visit to the region.09/05/07
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