VATICAN An Italian research center affiliated to the Catholic Church recently published the Italian translation of the memoirs of Iran's President Seyed Mohammad Khatami about his meeting with the Pope John Paul II three years ago. The whole text of President Khatami's memoirs on the March 8, 1998 meeting with the Pope is published as a separate chapter in a book comprising of the memoirs of 125 political, religious, and cultural personalities of the world with the Pope. According to an IRNA report, in the writings, President Khatami said he had told the Pope that the Iranians have always during the long course of their history proved their sincerity and due respect toward monotheist religions. He has also elaborated on the mankind's fascinating encounter with religions during its whole history that is worth deep contemplation. The Iranian president has evaluated the leader of the world Catholics as a lofty personality that is well acquainted with international politics, believes in the need to revive ethical values and spirituality as a precious inheritance of the mankind at global level, and is in favor of dialogue, as well as intellectual and practical interactions among the followers of all monotheist religions. He writes, "I too, like the Pope, feel that dialogue among religions is the essence of the dialogue among civilizations, and that sound religious and civilizational dialogues can hand in hand lead to prevalence of peace, justice and stability at global level. "We can then have more humane living conditions on our planet," says President Khatami. The Iranian president says he found Pope's words firm and calm, as a true pious monotheist who believes in God and the supernatural world. When I asked him to pray for me, says Khatami, he responded, "We both need to pray for each other," which revealed he has reached a level of spiritual perfection that we all need to aim for. Khatami further appreciates Pope's brief, and yet meaningful response as "a type of prayer which we all need, and under whose enlightment, we will recognize the depth of each other's belief in God, while feeling closer than ever to each other, to an extent that we feel close to our own closest relatives." The one volume book is entitled, The Pope and Great Personalities From Across the Globe' and is published by the Roma Imago Orbis' International Studies Center. Giacomo Pizzali has translated and compiled the texts used in publication of the voluminous book. Publication of the book was scheduled as a part of special cultural activities to mark the turn of the century in 2000, but was postponed till very recently when it was published in Italy.