Pope and Iraq’s deputy PM meet in private

POPE JOHN PAUL II held a private meeting with Iraq’s deputy prime minister yesterday, urging Saddam Hussein’s government to commit fully to UN weapons inspections in hopes of averting war.

The pontiff’s hopeful words came hours before chief UN inspector Hans Blix reported to the Security Council that his team had so far not found weapons of mass destruction.

The pope met with Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz, a Christian, for about 30 minutes yesterday, gripping the Iraqi’s hand firmly at the end. “God bless you. God bless Iraq,” John Paul said.