Bush feels "awe" at Pope who urges Middle East fix

VATICAN CITY, June 9 (Reuters) President George W Bush said today he felt ''awe'' in the presence of Pope Benedict, who urged the US leader to seek ''regional and negotiated'' solution to Middle East conflicts like Iraq.

''I was talking to a very smart, loving man,'' Bush said of his first talks with Benedict since he became Pope in 2005.

''After 6-1/2 years of being a president ... I've been to some unusual places and met some interesting people and I was in awe,'' Bush told a news conference in Rome. ''It was a moving experience for me.'' Addressing the 80-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church as ''sir'', Bush heard the Pope's concerns about the Middle East and the plight of Christians in Iraq and told him of his efforts to combat AIDS and malaria in Africa and hunger and poverty.

He told the Pope before reporters about what he called ''the very strong AIDS initiative'' at the Group of Eight summit this week which pledged 60 billion dollars to fight diseases ravaging Africa -- although much of that was made up of existing pledges.

A Vatican statement said Benedict and Bush had discussed the Middle East and the Holy See's ''hope for a regional and negotiated solution to the conflicts that afflict that region''.

''It's good to be with you sir,'' Bush said as he sat before the Pontiff's private desk in the Vatican.

The two men see eye-to-eye on ethical issues like abortion and euthanasia but differ on the war in Iraq, which Benedict's predecessor, John Paul, tried hard to avert.

When the Pope mentioned Bush had come from the G8 summit, Bush said: ''I did -- your old country -- and it was successful ... A lot of different opinions, but it was good.'' Asked if his dialogue with Russian leader Vladimir Putin -- closely watched because of a number of sharp disagreements between Russia and the West -- had been good, Bush responded with a smile as reporters were being ushered out of the room.

''I'll tell you in a minute,'' he said.

SECURITY FEARS Bush and his wife Laura, who wore a black veil, took a more circuitous route to the Vatican than usual, which disappointed thousands waiting to see him.

It was not clear if this was for security reasons, although 10,000 police were deployed as a precaution in central Rome.

Leftists and pacifists opposed to the war in Iraq and the expansion of a US military base in northern Italy took trains to Rome for mass protests likely to echo those at the G8.

Many who elected Prime Minister Romano Prodi's centre-left coalition -- which is critical of US foreign policy -- joined the rally and four communist deputies from Prodi's alliance hung a banner outside parliament that read: ''No Bush, No War''.

''Bush is the biggest international terrorist. It's a disgrace that the Italian government elected by the votes of pacifists should invite him to this country,'' said Elio Luppoli, arriving in Rome with about 70 protesters from Milan.

The protest began peacefully but fears it could turn violent were highlighted by the cancellation of Bush's planned visit to Rome's colourful Trastevere quarter, where he was to have met leaders of the Sant'Egidio Roman Catholic community.

One of Rome's oldest neighbourhoods, its narrow, cobbled alleys would have been awkward for the presidential motorcade.

The Sant'Egidio group, nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for its work brokering peace and fighting AIDS in Africa, met Bush at the U.S. embassy instead.

Bush had warm words for Prodi, despite concern when he came to power a year ago that Italy would no longer be the firm ally it was under his conservative predecessor Silvio Berlusconi.

''I look forward to seeing Silvio. We took some important decisions together,'' Bush said at a joint news conference with Prodi. ''I have known Romano a long time too. He was president of the EU (European Union) in the early part of my presidency.'' REUTERS RJ RK2231