I bet the above headlines caught your attention. They sure did mine. But, it turns out they may have been just a little misleading.

What happened was this: A report appeared on our discussion board stating that the EU's Javier Solana and Pope Benedict XVI were both scheduled to speak at the Second International Conference of Islamic Scholars in Jakarta, Indonesia Read about it here. Naturally, from the perspective of FP, the news appeared potentially important. So, I immediately post it and began my own research into the matter.

Soon I found other reports about the conference. And, as is often the case, they were saying different things. The Jakarta Post said nothing about Solana attending and was reporting Pope Benedict couldn't make it and was sending a Vatican representative in his place Read about it here. The Malaysian National News Agency also said it would only be a Vatican representative showing up, but acknowledged the attendance of Solana Read about it here.

You know, it doesn't really matter if the Pope attends this Islamic conference or not. The fact that Pope Benedict will have his representative present, and the EU will have their Solana, speaks much. It's evident both institutions -- the Catholic Church and the EU -- now have the same or similar goals.

No, the headlines that I posted weren't misleading. This news should catch our attention.

Stay tuned!