Pope fails to convince Arabs on dialogue

CAIRO, Nov 29 (Reuters) Pope Benedict has failed to persuade Arabs and Iranians that he is interested in a profound dialogue on the questions he raised in a controversial speech seen as hostile to Islam, religious figures said today.

They repeated their request for a full apology for comments earlier this year implying Islam was violent and irrational.

The Pope, in Turkey on his first visit to a mainly Muslim country as Pontiff, said yesterday Christians and Muslims must continue an open dialogue because they believe in the same God and agree on the meaning and purpose of life.

Addressing Turkey's President Ahmet Necdet Sezer later, he expressed his ''particular esteem'' for Muslims and said he wanted to promote ''dialogue as a sincere exchange between friends''.

But he has steered clear of the controversies he sparked in September when he linked Islam and violence and implied that Islam was less committed than Christianity to the use of reason.

Mohamed Habib, deputy leader of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, said the Pope's visit to Turkey was an attempt to contain demands that he apologise for his speech in the German city of Regensburg, and that Muslims still awaited an explanation.

''He has not stated his opinion in full candour and clarity on this insult. He says he respects Muslims but does he respect Islam and the beliefs of Islam? This is the issue,'' he added.

The most the Pope has said is that he was sorry that Muslims were offended and that when he quoted a 14th-century Byzantine attack on Islam he did not mean to imply that he agreed.

Ali al-Samman, an Egyptian Muslim active in interfaith dialogues, said that the Pope's call for dialogue should lead to a round-table discussion on the issues he has raised.

''The two sides have never gone to the substance. When you say, for example, there is no link between Islam and reason, even progressive Muslims cannot agree,'' he said. ''We need a round table where the thoughts of the Pope can be answered.'' MORE REUTERS PDM BS1847