Turkish prime minister Tayyip Erdogan reacted positively today to comments made by Pope Benedict XVI on his visit to Turkey but there were more difficulties over the country's bid to join the European Union.
The Pontiff began a 4-day visit yesterday with the aim of defusing Muslim anger over his recent comments implying Islam was violent religion that should not be allowed spread throughout the EU.
Pope Benedict XVI blesses people during a mass he conducted outside 'Mary's House' near Ephesus in Izmir
Yesterday, the Pope made comments which gave apparent support to Turkey's controversial bid to join the EU and today he made conciliatory comments about Islam.
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan after a private meeting with the Pontiff that the Pope was in favour Turkey's membership bid.
"He said 'we are not political but we wish for Turkey to join the EU'," Mr Erdogan told journalists.
At the Nato summit in Riga, today Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi said Mr Erdogan had declared himself "very satisfied" with the start of the Pope's trip.
Celebrating mass at a shrine in southwestern Turkey today, where believers say the Virgin Mary lived her last days, Pope Benedict stressed that Christians and Muslims share a common devotion to the mother of Jesus.
Benedict said in his sermon: "From here in Ephesus, a city blessed by the presence of Mary Most Holy - who we know is loved and venerated also by Muslims - let us lift up to the Lord a special prayer for peace between peoples."
The Koran describes Mary as the virgin mother of Jesus, whom Muslims consider the greatest prophet after Mohammed, and some Muslims - especially women - visit shrines to her.
Benedict's comments on his first official visit to a Muslim country appeared to go a long way towards making up for a speech in Germany, which led to several attacks on churches in the Muslim world and the murder of an Italian nun in Somalia.
A columnist in the Milliyetdaily newspaper today said the Pope's comments were "a big warning for conservative politicians who think the EU is a Christian club."
The EU has criticised Turkey for its treatment of non-Muslim religious minorities and today the European Commission put a further barrier to accession when it recommend the suspension of some strands of negotiations over Ankara's failure to open its ports to EU member Cyprus.
The Commission said no part of the 35 policy areas or "chapters" being discussed could be closed until the Cyprus issue was resolved. Ands it suspended talks on eight chapters.
Turkish television quoted Mr Erdogan as saying the move was "unacceptable."
However, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said the talks had not been ended.
"There will be no train crash. There is a slowing down because of works further down the tracks. However, the train continues to move," he said.
France and Germany welcomed the decision but Britain expressed concern.
Adding to the difficulties was Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer veto of a law required by the EU which would improve the property rights of non-Muslim religious minorities.
The president's office made the announcement after the Commission recommended partial suspension of negotiations.
Meanwhile, Iraq's al Qaeda wing condemned Pope Benedict's visit to Turkey.
"The visit of the Pope in reality is meant to add momentum to the crusader campaign on the land of Islam after the failures of crusader leaders," the al Qaeda-led "Islamic State in Iraq" said in a statement posted on the Internet.
Agencies