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Pope warns Spain's leader on gay rites and abortion


ROME Pope John Paul II expressed dismay Monday with plans by Prime Minister José Luís Rodriguez Zapatero of Spain to legalize gay marriage and ease abortion restrictions, urging the new Socialist leader not to let the country stray from its Christian origins..
Facing what the Vatican sees as a deterioration of Christian values in one of Europe's most densely Roman Catholic countries, the 84-year-old pope told Zapatero that Spain had to conserve moral and cultural values, as well as its Christian roots. The appeal echoed the pope's campaign for a mention of God and Christianity in the preamble to the European Union's new constitution. That effort seemed to come to an unsatisfying end for the Vatican on Friday, when, after two years of negotiations, European leaders agreed upon a final draft that omitted any mention of Christianity..
"When you look at the results, it hasn't been a very good week for this pope," said Giovanni Maria Vian, who teaches contemporary church history at Sapienza University in Rome. But Zapatero's visit here Monday also underlined the Vatican's continued relevance, especially in overwhelmingly Catholic countries like Spain. Some analysts said that a visit with the pope helped gild Zapatero's image in a country where more than 90 percent of the population is Catholic..
"I want to repeat my sincere thanks for that friendly visit," John Paul said in brief remarks in Spanish after the meeting, according to The Associated Press, which reported that the pope also had assured Zapatero that the Vatican intends to cooperate with Spain in promoting peace and combating violence and terrorism..
Zapatero described his papal audience as "very cordial and warm" and said he expressed his government's intention of having good relations with the Vatican, the Spanish bishops and the church, the AP reported. "The strategy is to keep existing accords in effect and maintain an open relationship with the Vatican," Zapatero told reporters after the meeting..
The Spanish leader did not meet with any Italian government officials during his visit here. "The positions are very clear," said Vian. "The Spanish government respects" the Vatican's position "but it will chart its own course." Zapatero's Socialist government, which came to to power in April, has proposed legislation that includes measures to speed up divorce proceedings and allow women to have an abortion in the first weeks of pregnancy. Under current laws, abortion is available only to women in cases of rape or incest, or when a health risk is posed to the mother or fetus..
Zapatero also has announced his intentions to make homosexual marriage legal. Homosexuality was banned in Spain until after Franco's death in 1975. Zapatero also has indicated that he is open to the possibility of gay couples adopting children..
International Herald Tribune


http://www.iht.com/articles/525990.html