WASHINGTON - The United States welcomed the election of Germany's Joseph Ratzinger as the new pope of the Roman Catholic Church, the State Department said Tuesday, noting that US officials looked forward to working with him.
"The United States welcomes the announcement that the Sacred College of Cardinals has selected Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to succeed John Paul as the new holy father of the Catholic Church," deputy State Department spokesman Adam Ereli told reporters.
"And we look forward to working with His Holiness and the Holy See to build upon our already excellent bilateral relationship and to promote human dignity across the world," he said.
04/19/2005 18:31 GMT