Government backs papal visit

Harry McGee, Political Editor, Rome

The Minister, speaking in Rome, strongly reiterated the wish expressed by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern the previous evening.

"Pope John Paul II had been invited to revisit Ireland and I would very strongly support and welcome a visit by Cardinal Ratzinger to Ireland," he said.

During his one-day trip to visit the Italian foreign minister, Gianfranco Fini, Mr Ahern visited the tomb of John Paul II in the crypt of St Peter's Basilica. He said he had wanted to pay his respects to the late Pope, because he was the last Minister from another country to visit the Pope. He met Pope John Paul II during a private audience last November.

Mr Ahern said yesterday that it happened shortly before the Pope succumbed to the final phase of Parkinson's disease. The Pontiff, he said, had expressed his hopes of revisiting Ireland and had also talked about his wishes for peace in the country.

"I was conscious when I was visiting him that it was the last time that I would have to meet him," said Mr Ahern. "My wife and I were meeting a man who was a very significant person in this and the last century."

He said he hoped that Pope Benedict XVI would bring a new vision to the Church, while following on from the tradition of the late Pope.

"From what I understand, he will follow the line taken by his predecessor in terms of doctrinal issues.

"The fact that he has chosen a different name might suggest a different line," he added.

Mr Ahern is one of four envoys appointed by United Nations general secretary Kofi Annan to promote his ambitious reform package for the organisation, including the expansion of the Security councils and the achievement of its target goals to eliminate poverty, combat HIV and Aids in developing countries and protect human rights.

Mr Ahern said he believed that the reform package would "go to the wire" when it is brought before the General Assembly of the organisation in September.

The reform measures include the non-contentious goals of preventing of fear and poverty, and ensuring the dignity of the person. However, it is reform of the Security Council that has proved most controversial. At least two models are suggested by Mr Annan, one involving an increase of six in the number of permanent Security Council members there are currently five permanent members, all of which have powers to exercise a veto over any resolution. The second also envisages an enlarged Security Council but with additional non-permanent members.

Mr Ahern's visit to Italy yesterday was one of his first formal meetings in his capacity as an envoy. He accepted that there was a divergence of views among European countries. States like Germany favour an increase in permanent SC members, while others, such as Italy and Spain, favour the second model.