June 4 (Bloomberg) -- Pope John Paul II asked U.S. President George W. Bush for a ``speedy'' return of Iraqi sovereignty and said the situation in the Middle East is of ``great concern.''

``It is the evident desire of everyone that this situation now be normalized as quickly as possible with the active participation of the international community,'' the pontiff said after a 15-minute private meeting with the U.S. president at the Vatican in Rome.

This is Bush's third visit with the pope as he tries to bolster support among U.S. Catholics before the November elections. Bush used the meeting to defend the U.S.-led invasion in Iraq, saying that there are times when war is necessary to achieve peace, an administration official said. Bush's arrival in Italy triggered anti-war protests and 10,000 Italian police and soldiers stood guard against terrorist attacks.

``I bring greetings from our country, where you are respected, admired and greatly loved,'' Bush said. ``I also bring a message from my government that says to you, 'Sir, we will work for human liberty and human dignity in order to spread peace and compassion, that we appreciate the strong symbol of freedom that you have stood for.'''

`Deplorable Events'

The pontiff, 84, who was too frail to get up to greet the president, in January called the war in Iraq a ``defeat for humanity.'' He had urged the U.S. to seek a United Nations endorsement for any military action.

John Paul, who remains one of the most vocal critics of U.S. military strategy in Iraq, made a reference today to the abuses of prisoners by U.S. forces at Abu Ghraib prison.

``In the past few weeks, deplorable events have come to light, which have troubled the civic and religious conscience of all, and made more difficult a serene and resolute commitment to shared human values,'' the pope said. ``In the absence of such a commitment, neither war nor terrorism will ever be overcome.''

When asked about the pope's remarks about the prison abuse, White House Director of Communications Dan Bartlett said, ``It's nothing we'd disagree with.'' Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro Valls told reporters the pope and Bush agreed on the need to work toward a ``normalization process'' in Iraq.

Bush is seeking broader backing for efforts to bring stability to Iraq as the U.S.-led coalition battles Islamic militants before transferring power to a new interim Iraqi government June 30. He is scheduled to travel to Paris tomorrow for discussions about Iraq with French President Jacques Chirac.

The measures taken in Iraq to bring about a transfer of power and select a temporary head of state ``are an encouraging step toward the attainment of this goal,'' the pontiff said.

Freedom Medal

Bush, 57, presented the Polish-born pope with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest U.S. award granted to a civilian.

``His principled stand for peace and freedom has inspired millions and helped topple communism and tyranny,'' Bush said.

According to polls, the majority of Italians share the pope's opposition to the war and oppose Italy's participation in the occupation of Iraq. Bush's visit to Rome drew demonstrators from all over the country and disrupted transportation.

Military helicopters circled over Rome. Some protesters waved Iraqi flags. Every shop in the Piazza Vittorio, near the central train station, was closed, with protective blinds drawn. Some demonstrators on a major street leading to the center held up a banner blocking the street that said, ``The War Doesn't Pass Through Here.''

Forty-seven percent of Italians opposed the presence of Italian soldiers in Iraq, while 43 percent supported it, according to a poll published in Corriere della Sera newspaper Tuesday. That was down from a high of 57 percent in April. The Ispo/Allaxia poll, for which 501 people were interviewed between May 28 and 30, had a margin of error of 4.5 percent.

Other Differences

The war in Iraq isn't the only issue dividing the two leaders. In 2001, the pope denounced embryonic stem-cell research as Bush was weighing federal funding for such work. A year later, Bush told John Paul he was concerned about the standing of the Catholic Church in the U.S. because of a scandal over sexual accusations against priests.

Bush, a Methodist, talks openly about his faith. His views in opposition to abortion, gay marriages and other social issues mesh with Catholic Church doctrine. The pope today praised the U.S. president for his ``promotion of moral values in American society.'' He ended his speech by saying ``God Bless America.''

Bush's presidential rival, Democrat John Kerry, 60, is Catholic. Bush was criticized by some Catholic voters in the Republican presidential primary elections in 2000 after he visited Bob Jones University in South Carolina. The founder of the university once referred to the Catholic Church as a satanic cult.

Bush apologized, met with Catholic leaders regularly during the campaign, and had the best showing of a Republican presidential candidate among Catholic voters since 1972.

A May poll by Princeton Research Associates, based on 150 interviews, showed Kerry, a four-term Massachusetts senator, beating Bush among Catholic voters, taking 53 percent.

To contact the reporters on this story: Flavia Krause-Jackson in Rome at fjackson@bloomberg.net and Richard Keil in Rome at 9776 or dkeil@loomberg.net.

Last Updated: June 4, 2004 12:47 EDT