ROME, June 4: Pope John Paul told US President George Bush on Friday the situation in Iraq must be "normalized as quickly as possible" as anti-Bush protests on the first day of his European visit fizzled out under blanket policing in Rome.

As expected, Iraq dominated the agenda in the first meeting between the invasion's chief protagonist and its sternest critic since the conflict began. But Mr Bush also received an unexpected campaign boost from the leader of the world's more than one billion Catholics when John Paul praised his defence of "moral values".

However, the pope told Mr Bush his three-day visit to Europe, to mark the 60th anniversary of Rome's liberation and D-Day commemorations in France, comes at a time of "great concern" because of serious unrest in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq.

And he called pointedly for a "speedy return of Iraq's sovereignty". President Bush, one of whose aides had earlier said would emphasize "things that we do agree about" in the meeting, presented the pope with his nation's highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

"He has given courage to others to be not afraid in overcoming injustice and oppression. His principled stand for peace and freedom has inspired millions and helped to overcome communism and tyranny," said the president.

On the streets, things were not quite so cordial but Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's concerns that anti-war demos could turn violent proved largely unfounded. Scuffles broke out briefly between riot police and a few dozen stone-throwing youths at the ancient Circus Maximus, but the demonstration passed off largely peacefully with only a few isolated incidents reported as evening fell.

Mr Bush is in Rome at the start of a three-day visit to Europe as part of D-Day celebrations and to mark the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Rome by Allied forces. Police said around 25,000 took part in the march through the city centre, while the organizers said the figure was ten times that.

"Bush is presenting himself as a liberator, when is the total opposite to what he is," a student identifying herself only as Francesca said. The crowd, many carrying rainbow-coloured peace flags and chanting "No Bush, No War", was relatively small in a city that mobilized an estimated three million people in an anti-war march last year.

That march had the support of the main unions and the opposition parties. Friday's demonstration was organized by the Communist and Greens, while the mainstream left-wing opposition, who also oppose the visit, said they would not take part out of respect for the US soldiers who died in the liberation of Rome.

Despite anarchist threats to block roads, Mr Bush's heavily protected motorcade was able to travel unimpeded across the city from the US ambassador's residence to the Vatican. He also laid a wreath at the Ardeatine Caves, the site of one of Italy's biggest wartime massacres of civilians by the Nazis.

However, the highlight of Mr Bush's visit to Rome was his meeting with the pope, a valuable opportunity to sway the important Catholic and Hispanic vote ahead of November's presidential elections. But it was clear the meeting, while cordial, did little to clear up sharp differences over Iraq. -AFP

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