A gathering for the 'people's pope'
From the "Wolf Blitzer Reports" staff
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II, part of a gathering as diverse as any you'd see at the United Nations.
From the United States three of the presidents who served during the pope's long papacy: President Bush and former Presidents George H.W. Bush, and President Clinton. From Europe, Spain's King Juan Carlos and France's President Jacques Chirac attended.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair was there. So was Britain's Prince Charles, who postponed his own wedding in order to attend. Charles found himself seated near Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, who has been accused of numerous human rights abuses.
At one point, Charles shook Mugabe's hand. A spokesman for the prince later said that was a mistake, that Charles was caught by surprise after Mugabe offered his hand. With so many leaders from so many countries, any interaction was scrutinized for diplomatic implications.
Iran's President Mohammed Khatami and Syria's President Bashar Assad kissed. And both shook hands with Israel's President Moshe Katsav. Both of those countries are at war with Israel.
Katsav spoke Farsi with Khatami, according to some reports, for as long as an hour. The Israeli leader later told a television station that the handshake and conversation were just a matter of being polite, and had no policy implications.
Taiwan's President Chen Shui-Bian attended the funeral. But China did not send a representative, citing Taiwan's presence.
Another no-show was Cuba's Fidel Castro, who attended a Mass for the pope in Havana Monday. Brazil's President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva represented Latin America.
Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai was also there. Kings and queens, presidents and prime ministers. The world's mightiest leaders, gathered for the funeral of a man who was called the "people's pope."
