Vatican City, Aug 29, 2013 / 16:29 pm
Pope Francis met with King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan on Thursday morning, giving special attention to the Syrian conflict at a time when Western countries are considering military action.
Their Aug. 29 meeting reaffirmed the importance of dialogue and negotiation between all groups in Syrian society, L'Osservatore Romano reports. The meeting concluded that with the international community's support, this dialogue is the only option to end the conflict.
Since the Syrian conflict began in spring of 2011, over 100,000 people have died. More than 2.5 million Syrians are estimated to have fled their homes. Many have become refugees inside or outside the country – some in neighboring countries such as Jordan.
U.S. President Barack Obama and leaders of several other Western countries are now considering military strikes against Syria following reports that Syrian government forces recently used chemical weapons in a major attack outside Damascus, killing hundreds of citizens.