Pope 'esteems Muslims', says Vatican

Vatican City: Pope Benedict XVI is “strongly upset'' that his words offended Muslims as he respects the believers in Islam, the Vatican said on Saturday.

The new Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, said: the pope is “extremely upset that some portions of his speech were able to sound offensive to the sensibilities of Muslim believers and have been interpreted in a way that does not at all correspond to his intentions.''

The Pope's position on Islam is unmistakably in line with Vatican teaching that the Church “esteems Muslims, who adore the only God,'' Bertone added.

The Vatican hopes that Muslims will understand the true sense of his speech, which he gave to university professors earlier in the week during a pilgrimage to Germany.

His words angered many leaders and religious officials in the Islamic world.