Rites Prompt Archfoes to Surprising Gestures

VATICAN CITY —  Pope John Paul II would have enjoyed the coming together of the world’s friends and foes.

It was a delicate atmosphere of forced smiles and slight acknowledgments as delegates from 75 countries, some of them not on speaking terms, sat in close proximity during the pontiff’s three-hour outdoor funeral Mass.

President Bush, who has referred to Iran as being part of an “axis of evil” and whose administration is seeking to stem Tehran’s nuclear program, sat not too far from Iranian President Mohammad Khatami. “Maybe today will make us hope of a future of peace, not of conflict and hatred,” Khatami said in an interview in the Corriere della Sera newspaper.

Israeli President Moshe Katsav said that, out of politeness, he shook hands with archenemies Khatami and Syrian President Bashar Assad.

“During the prayers,” Katsav told the Israeli media, “according to the Christian tradition we exchanged handshakes.”

However, Khatami denied doing so, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

There were no handshakes between British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s president. Mugabe has accused Blair of meddling in African affairs by attempting to derail Mugabe’s party in last week’s election. Mugabe, however, did reach over and shake the hand of Prince Charles, which angered European politicians who have accused Zimbabwe’s government of corruption and brutality.

The Chinese don’t have formal diplomatic relations with the Vatican and sent no delegation to the funeral.

But, in a move that ruffled the Chinese, Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian attended the ceremony. China has long wanted to reclaim Taiwan and protests whenever Taiwan steps into the international spotlight.