Complete peace process for Pope urges McAleese

COMPLETING the peace process in Ireland would be a way of fulfilling Pope John Paul’s wish to visit the whole of the island, President Mary McAleese said.

Ms McAleese, leading the Irish delegation at the Pope’s funeral in Rome, was sitting beside the Israeli president and witnessed his historic handshake with the presidents of Syria and Iran.

Israel is formally at war with Syria, while there are continuing fears Israel will strike at sites in Iran.