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ITN
Vatican claims Blair will work for peace
Vatican claims Blair will work for peace
The Vatican has said Tony Blair is planning to work for Middle East peace and inter-religious dialogue.The outgoing Prime Minister held a private meeting with Pope Benedict XVI amid rumours that he plans to convert to Catholicism when he leaves Downing Street.A statement from the Vatican did not mention any future conversion, but said there had been a "frank" assessment of the international situation, including Iraq and the future of the European Union.It has been suggested the the American President George W Bush would like Mr Blair to become a Middle East envoy, but Downing Street has refused to comment on those reports.Mr Blair's trip to the Vatican was his last foreign engagement as Prime Minister.He then travelled to Manchester for a special Labour conference, where Gordon Brown becomes Labour leader, marking the start of the handover of power.© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.
ITN | June 24, 2007
