The Vatican urged the Islamic world on Friday to unite with Christians in a battle against terrorism .
In a message to Muslims timed to coincide with the end of Ramadan, the Vatican said terrorism posed the same challenge to both religions because of the profound respect each had for human life and dignity .
This respect for human life was wholly absent in the minds of terrorists, who felt neither compassion nor solidarity, the message said .
"How many human lives have been destroyed, women rendered widows and children turned into orphans! How much destruction there has been of things that took years to build, often thanks to sacrifice and expense!" it said .
The document, which was issued by the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, was presented at a special press conference. This was an unusual move designed to convey the importance that the Catholic Church attaches to dialogue, especially in the wake of recent polemics over the pope's remarks on Islam .
Because terrorism was so contrary to real religion, Christians and Muslims must be seen to reject it, according to the message's author, Cardinal Paul Poupard .
"The credibility of religions themselves is at stake here, along with that of religious leaders and believers. If we don't defend our position as believers, many people will wonder what the point of religion is," he wrote .
Cardinal Poupard who is head of the Council for Inter-religious dialogue, attended the press conference in person to present the new call for dialogue and collaboration .
'TENSIONS OVERCOME' .
He made only a passing reference to the furore in the Muslim world which followed the pope's observations on Islam during a lecture in Germany last month. Benedict used a medieval quotation which described Islam as a violent religion. He afterwards apologised but said he had been misunderstood because he never meant the quotation to be seen as reflecting his own view .
Cardinal Poupard said that the tensions had now been overcome. "We need to push ahead with dialogue with greater energy," he added .
Officials said that several Catholic-Muslim meetings were being organised for the future, including one in Cairo next February, when prelates would meet Muslim authorities and Islamic scholars at the Al Azhar university .
Also present at the press conference was Msgr Pierluigi Celata, no.2 at Poupard's inter-religious department. He had just returned from Turkey, where he discussed the pope's November 28 visit to the country with authorities there .
There have been fears that recent tensions over Benedict's Islam comments could have an adverse effect on the reception he could expect in the Muslim nation .
But Msgr Celata said he had found "a serene readiness to welcome the pope, with that hospitality that is typical of the Turkish nation" .
