Pope Francis is on a delicate mission to strengthen ties with Muslim leaders in Turkey.<br/> <br />En route to Ankara, he acknowledged Turkey's role in assisting war-weary refugees from neighboring Iraq and Syria.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE FRANCIS, SAYING:<br/> <br />"Turkey at this moment is the witness, and it is the one that helps so many refugees from the conflict areas."<br/> <br />The Pontiff has repeatedly condemned violence against minorities in the Middle East.<br/> <br />Religious tolerance and the fight against extremism are expected to be high on the agenda of his three-day trip, and discussions with President Tayyip Erdogan.<br/> <br />Turkey is sheltering close to two million refugees from Syria, driven from their homes by Islamic State insurgents.<br/> <br />And though Pope Francis has said it's "almost impossible" to have a dialogue with the militants, he says the door should not be shut. And he says Turkey has a vital role to play.
