Pope, Blair Discuss Faith, Peace at First Private Meeting

British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Pope Benedict XVI discussed the role of religion in politics and society during their first private talks Saturday at the Vatican.

According to a Vatican statement, the two men focused on the importance of inter-faith dialogue to tackle terrorism and achieve global peace.

“Prominence was given to the contribution which common values between the religions can bring to this dialogue, in particular with moderate Islam, and above all when it comes to issues like solidarity and peace," Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said in a statement Saturday.

Blair’s first private meeting with the pontiff since he succeeded John Paul II last year lasted only 40 minutes and was described by the Vatican as “cordial.”

The two men also touched on Africa, agreeing that “the international community should promote and support with all possible means peaceful coexistence and the continent's development.”

A spokesman for Blair said prior to the meeting that the Vatican was “an important partner” on a number of current issues such as extremism, trade, poverty and climate change.

Blair’s meeting with Pope Benedict followed a meeting with his Italian counterpart Romano Prodi on Friday.

The prime minister’s last papal audience was with John Paul II in February 2003, when the then-pope urged him to find a solution to the "grave situation" in Iraq and make "every effort to avoid new divisions in the world."

Blair was accompanied by his Catholic wife Cherie who had already met the pope in April when she participated in a Vatican conference on children.