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| Pope adviser calls the UK a 'Third World country' | Pope adviser calls the UK a 'Third World country' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| One of the Pope's senior advisers has pulled out of the papal visit to Britain, after reportedly saying the UK is a "Third World country" marked by "a new and aggressive atheism". | One of the Pope's senior advisers has pulled out of the papal visit to Britain, after reportedly saying the UK is a "Third World country" marked by "a new and aggressive atheism". |
| Cardinal Walter Kasper, 77, made the remarks in a German magazine interview. | Cardinal Walter Kasper, 77, made the remarks in a German magazine interview. |
| The Vatican said the cardinal had not intended "any kind of slight", and was referring to the UK's multicultural society. | The Vatican said the cardinal had not intended "any kind of slight", and was referring to the UK's multicultural society. |
| It added that he had simply pulled out of the Pope's visit due to illness. | It added that he had simply pulled out of the Pope's visit due to illness. |
| The German-born cardinal was quoted as saying to the country's Focus magazine that "when you land at Heathrow you think at times you have landed in a Third World country". | The German-born cardinal was quoted as saying to the country's Focus magazine that "when you land at Heathrow you think at times you have landed in a Third World country". |
| He also was reported to have criticised British Airways, saying that when you wear a cross on the airline "you are discriminated against". | He also was reported to have criticised British Airways, saying that when you wear a cross on the airline "you are discriminated against". |
| Vatican sources said Cardinal Kasper - who stepped down in July as the head of the department that deals with other Christian denominations - was suffering from gout and had been advised by his doctors not to travel to the UK. | |
| The Pope is spending four days in Scotland and England, starting on Thursday. | The Pope is spending four days in Scotland and England, starting on Thursday. |
| 'Talking nonsense' | |
| The BBC's correspondent in Rome, David Willey, said the cardinal's reported comments were "a slightly clumsy thing to have done on the eve of the visit". | The BBC's correspondent in Rome, David Willey, said the cardinal's reported comments were "a slightly clumsy thing to have done on the eve of the visit". |
| However, he added that he did not think it would have much effect on the Pope's trip to the UK. | |
| Clifford Langley, from Catholic newspaper The Tablet, said the cardinal was "obviously talking nonsense". | |
| "I don't think he believes Britain is in the grip of secular atheism, and he shouldn't have said so," said Mr Langley. | |
| "They are saying it is ill health [that has forced the cardinal to drop out of the visit], but I wonder if that is the fact. I wonder if he has been dropped because he is an embarrassment." | |
| British Airways said the cardinal had been "seriously misinformed" in his claims about the airline. | |
| "It is completely untrue that we discriminate against Christians or members of any faith," it said in a statement. |