VATICAN CITY - US PRESIDENT Barack Obama had a warm first meeting with Pope Benedict XVI on Friday during which he pledged to try to limit the number of abortions in the United States.

'The pontiff told me that President Obama affirmed his personal commitment to try to reduce the number of abortions in the United States,' Father Lombardi told a news briefing. Issues that 'constitute a great challenge for the future of every nation, ... such as the defence and promotion of life and the right to abide by one's conscience' were the first that the two men addressed, the Vatican said in a communique.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said earlier that on subjects such as abortion, 'even if we don't see eye to eye on everything, there are steps that can be taken on a number of issues that will show progress, whether it's on something like unintended pregnancy or adoption.'

One of Mr Obama's first acts as president was to end his predecessor George W. Bush's restrictions on government funding for embryonic stem cell research and for family planning groups that carry out or facilitate abortions overseas.

After the audience, the conservative pope, a staunch opponent of abortion and contraception, offered Mr Obama a copy of an 'instruction' on reproductive technology, issued in December last year.

The document titled 'Dignitas Personae' (Dignity of the Person) lists biomedical techniques considered 'illicit' by the Roman Catholic Church such as the therapeutic use of stem cells and the use of the 'morning-after' contraceptive pill.

The US president and the pope, head of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics, notably see eye to eye on policy in the Middle East. Mr Obama has made relaunching the peace process there a top priority, pledging a new beginning for Islam and the United States in a landmark speech to the world's Muslims delivered in Cairo last month.

The Vatican called this a 'significant' step toward better ties. Both men emerged all smiles from the private audience in the pontiff's personal library. First Lady Michelle Obama, wearing a black mantilla over a black dress, joined the party for the traditional exchange of gifts.

Pope Benedict also offered the US leader a mosaic depicting St Peter's Square with one of its fountains in the foreground. 'It's beautiful,' said Mr Obama. 'We'll find a place of honour for that.' The US president offered the pope a stole that had covered the remains of St John Neuman, a 19th-century missionary who was the first American bishop to be canonised.

Mr Obama introduced his daughters Sasha and Malia, as well as his mother-in-law Marian Robinson, to the pope, the Vatican press office said. As the presidential couple took their leave, the pope said: 'I'll pray for you. I'll pray for your work.' -- AFP