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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Putin in landmark Vatican visit | Putin in landmark Vatican visit |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Rome for an official visit, during which he will see both the Pope and the Italian prime minister. | |
| It is the first time Mr Putin will have met Pope Benedict XVI. | It is the first time Mr Putin will have met Pope Benedict XVI. |
| They will discuss improving relations between the Vatican and the Russian Orthodox Church, dogged in the past by long-standing differences. | They will discuss improving relations between the Vatican and the Russian Orthodox Church, dogged in the past by long-standing differences. |
| The Russian president will also discuss energy matters with the Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi. | The Russian president will also discuss energy matters with the Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi. |
| President Putin was said to have been in favour of a visit to Russia by Pope Benedict's predecessor, Pope John Paul II. | President Putin was said to have been in favour of a visit to Russia by Pope Benedict's predecessor, Pope John Paul II. |
| But the late Pope was never able to fulfil his ambition of seeing post-communist Russia. | But the late Pope was never able to fulfil his ambition of seeing post-communist Russia. |
| Pope Benedict puts great emphasis on healing the churches' divisions and some say this is helping to mend the 1,000-year schism between Rome and the eastern Christian churches. | Pope Benedict puts great emphasis on healing the churches' divisions and some say this is helping to mend the 1,000-year schism between Rome and the eastern Christian churches. |
| Energy concerns | Energy concerns |
| The Papal Nuncio to Moscow, Monsignor Antonio Mennini, said relations between the two churches were much improved. | The Papal Nuncio to Moscow, Monsignor Antonio Mennini, said relations between the two churches were much improved. |
| But any talk of a meeting between Pope Benedict and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Alexy II, has been ruled out. | But any talk of a meeting between Pope Benedict and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Alexy II, has been ruled out. |
| Monsignor Mennini said Mr Putin was paying a secular visit to Italy and it was still premature to be talking about papal visits to Moscow. | Monsignor Mennini said Mr Putin was paying a secular visit to Italy and it was still premature to be talking about papal visits to Moscow. |
| Whatever the outcome of the Vatican visit, Mr Putin will have plenty of other business in Italy. | Whatever the outcome of the Vatican visit, Mr Putin will have plenty of other business in Italy. |
| He will be invited to a working dinner on Tuesday night with Prime Minister Prodi. The two men are likely to discuss disagreements between Europe and Russia over major issues like Iran, Iraq and the Middle East. | He will be invited to a working dinner on Tuesday night with Prime Minister Prodi. The two men are likely to discuss disagreements between Europe and Russia over major issues like Iran, Iraq and the Middle East. |
| They will also talk energy. The Russian gas giant, Gazprom, signed a deal with the Italian energy company, ENI, in November which gives the Russian firm a foothold in southern Europe. | They will also talk energy. The Russian gas giant, Gazprom, signed a deal with the Italian energy company, ENI, in November which gives the Russian firm a foothold in southern Europe. |
| But while Mr Prodi is a supporter of closer economic ties, he is looking for assurances from Mr Putin that Russia will guarantee supply and will not be using gas and oil to drive hard diplomatic agendas with its neighbours, as Russia has been accused of doing in the past. | But while Mr Prodi is a supporter of closer economic ties, he is looking for assurances from Mr Putin that Russia will guarantee supply and will not be using gas and oil to drive hard diplomatic agendas with its neighbours, as Russia has been accused of doing in the past. |