Pope Benedict XVI gave the traditional Easter address today and complained that “nothing positive” was happening in Iraq as he read out a long list of violent current events.

In England, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, told his congregation that forgiveness and reconciliation were needed to resolve conflicts around the world.

Speaking to tens of thousands of people gathered in St Peter’s Square the pontiff said he was thinking people that were victims of terrorism and kidnapping.

Delivering his traditional “Urbi et Orbi; Easter address from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, he read out the list and said he was thinking of ““terrorism and kidnapping of people, of the thousand faces of violence which some people attempt to justify in the name of religion, of contempt for life, of the violation of human rights and the exploitation of persons.”

“Afghanistan is marked by growing unrest and instability. In the Middle East, besides some signs of hope in the dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, nothing positive comes from Iraq, torn apart by continual slaughter as the civil population flees.”

He singled out what he called the “catastrophic, and sad to say, underestimated humanitarian situation” in Darfur as well as other African places of suffering, including violence and looting in Congo, fighting in Somalia _ which, he said, drove away the prospect of peace and the “grievous crisis” in Zimbabwe, marked by crackdowns on dissidents, a disastrous economy and severe corruption.

The Pope also called for a negotiated solution to end the drawn-out, bloody conflict in Sri Lanka, and said East Timor needs reconciliation ahead of elections.

Earlier he celebrated Easter Mass on the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica under hazy sunshine.

At Canterbury Cathedral, south-east England, Dr Williams, highlighted progress in the Northern Ireland peace process as an example of the need for forgiveness and reconciliation as he delivered his Easter sermon.

He told the congregation that both concepts were central to the Christian holiday’s message and could be applied to resolve conflicts around the world.

In a historic deal last month, rival Protestant and Catholic parties agreed for the first time to share power at the partially-devolved assembly in the British-run province.

Williams said reconciliation between the two communities after three decades of violence and suspicion had finally allowed people on both sides of the sectarian divide to hear each other’s opinions and stories.

“Everyone in this history made decisions, some shockingly evil, some tragic, some foolish. Those decisions and the sufferings that came from them don’t have the power to tell you what decisions you have to make today,” he said.

The most senior cleric in the Church of England told the congregation that acknowledging wrong-doing, error and understanding alternative perspectives were vital to promote peace.

“Going forward requires us all to learn a measure of openness to discover things about ourselves we did not know, seeing ourselves through the eyes of another,” he said.

“What they see may be fair or unfair, but it is a reality that has been driving someone’s reactions and decisions. We’d better listen, hateful and humiliating though it may be for us."

Dr Williams called on people to “step towards your neighbour” as Christians commemorated the resurrection of Jesus Christ, three days after his crucifixion.

“When in our world we are faced with the terrible deadlocks of mutual hatred and suspicion, with rival stories of suffering and atrocity, we have to pray for this resurrection message to be heard,” he said.

Elsewhere, Queen Elizabeth II, her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and other members of the royal family attended an Easter service at Saint George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

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