Pope Says Terrorists Must Not Get Weapons Of Mass Destruction

(AP) - Pope Benedict is urging the world to prevent terrorists from getting their hands on weapons of mass destruction and is calling for continued negotiations over Iran's nuclear program.

In an annual speech outlining the Holy See's foreign policy priorities, Benedict also condemned the frequent attacks suffered by Iraq's Christian community, saying the country needs to undertake a constitutional reform that will safeguard the rights of minorities.

Benedict touched on many of the world's crises, appealing for peace and dialogue in hotspots including the Middle East, Kenya, Sudan's Darfur region and Myanmar.

U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Francis Rooney said the pope's message shows that the Vatican and the United States have the same foreign policy goals.