VATICAN CITY - Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, widely considered a voice for moderate Islam, met Friday with Pope John Paul II for talks focusing on Christian-Muslim relations and the Middle East.
"I made my plea for an end of terrorism in Palestine and Israeli actions against Palestinians," the Malaysian leader told reporters.
It was the first meeting ever of a Malaysian prime minister and a pope.
Malaysia's Islamic opposition had criticized Mahathir's plans to visit the Vatican, saying the meeting would prove fruitless in improving conditions for Palestinians.
The Vatican said the two men discussed church-state relations in Malaysia, promotion of dialogue between culture and religions with "particular consideration for the cultural links of Islam and Christianity," and international questions regarding Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
John Paul recently visited predominantly Muslim Azerbaijan, stressing that violence must never be carried out in the name of religion.
As he has with other recent visitors, the frail 82-year-old pope received the Malaysian leader in the study of his apartment rather than his offices on another floor of the Apostolic Palace.
After 10 minutes of private talks, the two men were joined by Mahathir's wife and other members of the Malaysian delegation.
Mahathir has led Malaysia, a mostly Muslim country, for more than 20 years. His influence in the Islamic world is growing and he is expected to become chairman of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference next year.
After his meeting with the pope, Mahathir met with Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican's secretary of state.
The prime minister said they spoke "at length" about terrorism in the Middle East and the need to remove its causes and on the need for involvement of "third parties" to "separate the combatants" and get negotiations moving.
Mahathir was asked whether he invited the pope to Malaysia.
"I don't think he would be able to accept an invitation," he replied, apparently refering to John Paul's frail health.
He gave John Paul a tiny gold carriage. John Paul presented Mahathir with medals of his pontificate.