AP

Vatican City, Sep 29: The Vatican urged Muslims on Friday to reject violence, work with Christians for peace and to teach their young ones to love and respect all people and not become "cultural or religious blocs opposed to one another."

The Vatican's top official in charge of relations with Muslims, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, issued the Vatican's traditional message to Muslims to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan. In it, he urged the Muslim faithful to enter into a dialogue with Christians to "help us to escape from the endless spiral of conflict and multiple tensions which mark our societies."

It was the most pointed appeal to Muslims from Tauran, who was named in June to head the newly reopened Vatican office that specialises in relations with Muslims, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Church relations with Muslims were badly strained last year after a speech by Pope Benedict XVI that linked Islam to violence. Benedict later said he regretted that Muslims were offended by his remarks. Tauran has pledged to back the moderate forces within Islam to improve dialogue.