Nov. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Pope Benedict XVI said he backs Turkey's bid to join the European Union, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after meeting the pontiff upon his arrival in Ankara for his first visit to a Muslim country.

The Pope told Erdogan that while the Vatican seeks to stay out of politics it ``desires Turkey's membership in the EU,'' Erdogan said at a news conference after the 15 minute meeting that initiated his four-day visit to Turkey. As Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger he had said in 2004 that allowing Islamic Turkey to join the EU would be a ``grave error.'' The Vatican has yet to confirm Benedict's comments today.

The EU, backed by U.S. President George W. Bush, last year began membership talks with Turkey to build a bridge between the Christian and Muslim worlds and boost democracy in the Middle East. The pope's defense of Christian Europe and the violent reaction to his comments about Islam fed political resistance to a Muslim nation of 72 million people joining the EU's ranks.

Only 39 percent of Europeans support Turkey's accession to the EU, according to a July survey published by the European Commission. Turkish entry would boost the number of Muslims living in Europe more than five-fold to about 86 million.

To contact the reporter on this story: Mark Bentley in Ankara at mbentley3@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: November 28, 2006 07:44 EST