Pope and Mubarak discuss Iran, Iraq

VATICAN CITY, Mar 14 (Reuters) Pope Benedict and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak discussed the situation in Iraq, the stand-off over Iran's nuclear programme and the prospects for peace in the West Asia.

Mubarak and the Pope held private talks for about half an hour in the evening in the Pontiff's private library in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, a Vatican statement said yesterday.

It said they had discussed ''prospects for a stable peace in the Middle East'' and had a ''detailed exchange of views about the situation in Iraq and even an overview of themes regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran.'' While they discussed Iran, the five veto-holding powers of the U.N. Security Council were struggling to clear the way for a Council statement on reining in Iran's nuclear programmes.

The Vatican statement made no specific mention of a report on Iran's programmes by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency delivered last Wednesday.

The 35-nation IAEA board asked Iran to suspend all uranium enrichment-related activities, which the West believes are a cover for bomb making, and asked Iran to cooperate with IAEA inspectors.

Mubarak said earlier this month that he had advised the United States against attacking Iran.

The United States has declined to rule out the use of military force against Iran, which it suspects of working on nuclear weapons under cover of its civilian nuclear programme.

Earlier this year, Vatican officials criticised Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for claiming the Holocaust was a myth and for a string of anti-Israel comments.

Mubarak is visiting several European countries. He was in Italy last week but could not see the Pope because the Pontiff was on a week-long Lenten spiritual retreat.

Evening private audiences with the Pope are extremely rare, even for heads of state, but the Vatican made an exception because the Pope was unavailable last week.

Reuters SK VP0535