Pope appeals to Mideast leaders

VATICAN CITY -- The pope has urged Middle East leaders to respond to a "piercing cry" for peace.

In his new year's day message from Saint Peter's Basilica, Pope John Paul II told a packed crowd that violence in God's name could never be justified and people should not despair.

"Throughout the world a piercing cry invoking peace rings out," he said on Tuesday in a speech to mark the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Peace.

"No one, for any reason, can kill in the name of God. However humanly difficult it may seem to look toward the future with optimism, we must not give in to the temptation to be discouraged.

"On the contrary, we must work towards peace with courage, confident that evil will not prevail."

The 81-year-old pope also said forgiveness was a vital part of achieving peace. "Justice and forgiveness are not at odds with each other, rather they are complementary, because both are essential for the promotion of peace," he added.

"Only forgiveness can quench the thirst for revenge and open the heart to a real and lasting reconciliation between peoples."

The pope also heralded the euro, which came into circulation in 12 nations at midnight, saying the common currency would encourage unity and development.

His new year message echoed the sentiments of his Christmas Day address, when he prayed for children who were suffering from conflicts, including Palestinians, Israelis, Afghans and Americans.

At Christmas he also became involved in the dispute over whether Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat should be allowed to go to midnight Mass in Bethlehem.

The Vatican took diplomatic steps to try to stop what it called the "arbitrarily imposed" decision by Israel to stop Arafat travelling.