Pope, Obama agree to combat human trafficking

VATICAN CITY (2nd UPDATE) – US President Barack Obama and Pope Francis on Thursday, March 27, agreed on a “common commitment” to eradicate human trafficking during a historic first meeting and discussed immigration reform, the Vatican said.

Francis and Obama also underlined the need for international law to be respected in conflict zones around the world and for “a negotiated solution between the parties involved,” the Vatican said in a statement.

Obama told Francis he was a “great admirer” at the start of their talks at the Vatican, which political observers said could be a bid to boost the US President’s support at home among Catholic voters.

Obama was accompanied by US Secretary of State John Kerry and the delegation was led through the Apostolic Palace to the Pope’s study by Swiss Guards and ceremonial aides known as Papal Gentlemen.

The first African-American US president spoke of the first Pope from Latin America as an “inspiration” in an interview with the Corriere della Sera daily.

“The Holy Father has been an inspiration to people around the world, including me,” Obama said, adding however: “It doesn’t mean we agree on every issue.”

The meeting comes as a welcome rest-stop for Obama during a 6-day European tour dominated by the crisis over Crimea, and the US leader will doubtless be hoping some of the Pope’s stardom will rub off on him.

Obama is “mostly going I think to bask in the glow of the new Pope,” said Jeremy Shapiro, visiting fellow at Washington’s Brookings institute.

His main aim will be “to highlight their sort of mutual attention to the problems of poverty and inequality. This isn’t really a foreign policy stop,” he said.

Ahead of the meeting, Francis celebrated mass for a group of 500 Italian politicians in which he warned them against becoming “hard-hearted” and “corrupt.”

Obama will also meet new Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi – the European Union’s youngest government leader – and President Giorgio Napolitano, as well as going on a private guided tour of the Colosseum.

Diplomatic relations between Italy and the United States are close, though Rome has been cautious about imposing sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine crisis, amid fears it would take a toll on a key market.

Obama in his interview highlighted Italy’s “critical role” in the Mediterranean region, praising Renzi for visiting Tunisia on his first foreign trip and saying Washington and Rome were collaborating to rebuild Libya. – Rappler.com