” “"Approximately ten minutes" was the time the Pope spent with the Rumanian Prime Minister, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, whom Benedict XVI received in a private audience today (at the Prime Minister’s request) before he met the Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, at Palazzo Chigi at 1 pm. This was reported to the press by father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican Newsroom, "he thanked the Pope for the commitment and the tradition of the Church inspired by a welcoming spirit", asking him to keep up "this positive and welcoming attitude towards immigrants". Concepts, these ones, that had already been mentioned this morning by Tariceanu as a reason for his wish to meet he Holy Father. In addition, Benedict XVI greeted the wife of the prime minister who was with the Minister of the Interior, Mihai David, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Adrian Cioroianu.” “
