Turkey shuns "fundamentalist degeneration" - Pope

VATICAN CITY, Dec 7 (Reuters) Pope Benedict, speaking after a landmark trip to Turkey, described the country as an example of a secular Muslim state able to shun ''fundamentalist degeneration''.

In remarks at his weekly general audience yesterday, he also expressed hope that Turkey could become a ''bridge of friendship and brotherly cooperation between the West and East''.

The Pope said that since Turkey was predominantly Muslim but regulated by a secular constitution it was ''emblematic'' of the challenge facing states trying to balance religious expression and the needs of civil society.

He held up Turkey as an example of how a country can ''guarantee that the expression of such a faith be free, without fundamentalist degeneration, and capable of firmly repudiating every form of violence''.

The Pope's trip last week seems to have persuaded many Turks to move beyond the tensions caused by a speech last September in which he quoted a Byzantine emperor calling Islam violent. The speech infuriated Muslims around the world.

During the visit he called Islam a peaceful faith and yesterday he expressed hope that Christians and Muslims could work together ''for life, peace and justice''.

Benedict became the second Roman Catholic Pontiff to visit a mosque when he stopped to pray at Istanbul's Blue Mosque.

''Pausing for a few minutes being received in this place of prayer, I addressed the one Lord of heaven and earth, father of mercy for all humanity,'' he said.

During the trip, he did an about-face and voiced support for Ankara's bid to join the European Union. Before being elected Pope in April 2005, he had opposed Turkey's entry.

REUTERS MS VC0932