'Base decisions on moral principles'

Saying he had come as a friend of the US, Pope Benedict urged Americans and their leaders yesterday to base their political and social decisions on moral principles and create a more just society.

The Pope also called for "patient efforts of international diplomacy to resolve conflicts" and promote progress around the world in an address to President George W. Bush at the White House on the first full day of his US visit.

"I come as a friend, a preacher of the Gospel and one with great respect for this vast pluralistic society," Pope Benedict said in a speech after President Bush welcomed him at a ceremony that included a fife and drum band in colonial-era garb and a 21-gun salute.

At the outdoor ceremony attended by more than 9,000 people, President Bush cited the role of faith in US life, saying "Here in America, you'll find a nation of prayer."

Mr Bush also referred to the September 11 attacks, which the Pope will commemorate when he visits New York with a prayer at the World Trade Centre site.

"In a world where some invoke the name of God to justify acts of terror and murder and hate, we need your message that God is love. And embracing this love is the surest way to save man from falling prey to the teaching of fanaticism and terrorism," Mr Bush said.

The Pope, who turned 81 yesterday, smiled as the crowd sang Happy Birthday.

He praised American society, sprinkling his speech with references to the founding fathers - citing the Declaration of Independence and the first President, George Washington.

But he made no specific references to issues such as abortion and the Iraq war, avoiding anything that could be seen as taking sides in the presidential campaign apart from saying that freedom demanded "reasoned public debate."

Pope Benedict and President Bush, who spoke privately after the ceremony, oppose abortion and embryonic stem cell research but differ on the Iraq war and capital punishment. As the Pope spoke, the US Supreme Court, led by Mr Bush appointee Chief Justice John Roberts, issued a ruling that cleared the way for executions to resume for the first time since September.

Pope Benedict concentrated on America's religious roots, which he said were a driving force in a process that "forged the soul of the nation" and won world admiration.

It was President Bush who referred to abortion, a hot-button issue particularly with the presidential election in November.

"In a world where some treat life as something to be debased and discarded, we need your message that all human life is sacred... ," Mr Bush said.

A joint statement said their private talk addressed "the promotion of life, matrimony and the family," human rights and religious freedom, sustainable development, the struggle against poverty and the Middle East, particularly Iraq and the Isareli-Palestinian conflict.