President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday had an audience with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican.

He apprised the Pope about current developments in Sri Lanka, especially the clearing of the Madhu area of terrorists and restoring and reopening the Sacred Madhu Shrine for worship.

It is learnt that Pope Benedict expressed his keen interest in the developments in Sri Lanka, the moves by the Government to provide humanitarian assistance, the hope for the restoration of democratic freedoms in all of Sri Lanka.

The Secretary of State of Vatican expressed good wishes for restoration of peace and freedom for all people in Sri Lanka. Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Germany T. B. Maduwegedara, who is accredited to Vatican, were also present at the discussion with the Cardinal.