PopeCalledToMediateInFalklands

Argentina'sPresidenthasurgedthePopetointerveneintherowovertheFalklandIslandsontheeveofthePontiff'sinauguration, reportsSky'sRobertNisbet.

出访罗马的阿根廷总统克里斯蒂娜请求教皇方济各干预阿根廷与英国之间的岛屿主权争议，防止因英国使南大西洋军事化的行动而发生意外事件。

Theyhaddisagreedovertheirapproachtosexualityandcontraception, butPresidentKirchnerandthenewPopehavebothsupportedArgentina’sclaimtotheFalklandIslands. SowhenthetwometinRomeaheadofhisinstallationmass, CristinaKirchnersoughtcommonground, sheaskedhimtointercedeinthedisputebetweenLondonandVenezuela’s.

Nowwesitwithahistoricalopportunity, amuchmorefavorableoutlookinfrontofus. BothUKandArgentinaaregoverneddemocratically, there’snodangerofanythingmoreaggressivethantheUK’smilitarypresenceinthearea. TherearefewcountriesmorepeacefulthanArgentina. TheonlythingwewantisthattheUKcomplieswiththeUNResolutionssowecansitdowntogetherandtalk. IaskedtheHolyFatherforhismediationinachievingadialoguebetweenthetwoparties.

AndthatisjustthefirstinaseriesofimportantmeetingsthenewPopewillbeholdingthisweek. OnSaturdayhewillflyheretothepapalretreatofCastleGandolfohavelunchwiththepopeemeritus. Itisaneventwithouthistoricalprecedent. Andthey’reonceagainexpectinglargecrowdstothrongthisbeautifulhilltoptown50 milesoutsideRome. WhenBenedicttookouttemporaryresidencehereendinghispapacy, 12,000 witnessedhisfarewellwords. Themayorofthetownsaysthemeetingwillbehugelysymbolic.

It’sbeenthepope’slastgoodbye, helookedoutfromthere, andsaidaverywarmandsimplegoodbyetous. PopeFrancisshowsthesamesimplicityandaffection, soitseemsthatthere’sasortofcontinuityinthepassagebetweenthesetwopopes.

It’sjust18 dayssincetheextraordinarypapalsagaunfoldedwhenBenedictflewfromVaticanCity. 4 dayslater, theChurchstartedpreparationsfortheConclave. 115 cardinalelectorsfromaroundtheworldwerethenlockedinthe16 chapel. Ittook5 secretballotsforwhitesmoketoemergefromthechimney. Laterthatevening, thenewpopewasunveiled. He’snowfashioninghisimageasahands-onparishpriest, leadingachurchforthepoor.

Theinauguralmassismeanttobeaunitingmomentforaglobalchurchabovepoliticsanddiplomaticsquabbles. ButArgentina’spresidenthasensuredtherumblingrowovertheFalklandshassecuredheadlinesjusthoursbeforeworldleadersattendthehistoricceremony.

RobertNisbet, SkyNews, Rome.