Pope voices hope for reconciliation in Sri Lanka

Pope Benedict XVI on Friday voiced hope for reconciliation in Sri Lanka at talks with President Mahinda Rajapakse in the Vatican, saying there should be "a global joint solution" in the country.

"The parties illustrated the steps taken to favour socioeconomic development and reconciliation among the communities hit by the long internal conflict which has affected the country," the Vatican said in a statement.

"The hope was expressed that a global joint solution may soon be found corresponding to the legitimate expectations of all the parties," it said.

This was Rajapakse's third visit to the Vatican since he came to power in 2005.

Sri Lanka has faced accusations of war crimes in the final phase of its battle against Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009 under Rajapakse's administration.

Rights groups say up to 40,000 civilians died in the final offensive, but Sri Lanka maintains that its troops did not kill a single civilian.

Tensions over the conflict have also caused divisions in the Sri Lankan Catholic Church between minority Tamil and majority Sinhalese clergymen.