ANKARA, Turkey — Pope Benedict XVI called for an “authentic dialogue” between Christians and Muslims yesterday at the start of a four-day trip to Turkey, as he sought to calm anger in the Islamic world caused by remarks last September linking Islam to violence.

His hosts responded with conciliatory words of their own. But the pontiff was ambushed into supporting Turkey’s bid for entry to the European Union and then reprimanded by the head of the state-run religious affairs department, Ali Bardakoglu.

The pope, making his first visit to an Islamic country since his election in April 2005, appeared uncomfortable as Mr. Bardakoglu emphasized the “vast tolerance of Islam” and said people who suggested it was a violent religion only gave extremists more cause for hate.

In a clear reference to the pope’s words at Regensberg University, Mr. Bardakoglu said religious leaders should not try to “demonstrate the superiority of their own beliefs” or waste time in discussing “the theology of religions.”

He said Muslims universally rejected accusations that Islam “was spread over the world by swords.”

The Vatican tried to play down the attack, saying that Mr. Bardakoglu had been “positive and respectful” and that there was “no controversy.”

The pope, in his speech, repeated that Christianity and Islam had more in common than not. Having caused the original rift by quoting a 14th-century Byzantine emperor who accused Muslims of being “evil and inhumane,” he turned again to medieval times to try to make amends.

He quoted Pope Gregory VII, who said in 1076 that Christians and Muslims “believe and confess to one God, even if in different ways, and every day, we praise and venerate him as Creator of the ages and Lord of this world.” He also said Turkey “is very kind to Christians.”

Almost every paragraph of the pope’s speech dwelt on the shared ground between the religions. “Christians and Muslims belong to the family who believe in the one God, and who, according to their respective traditions, look back to Abraham,” he said.

The Vatican has made clear that it wants the pope’s trip to reverse the damage done by his previous comments. At the end of the week, the pope will become only the second pontiff to visit a mosque. The first visit was made by John Paul II in Damascus in 2001.

Despite reports that protesters were mobilizing, the Turkish capital was calm.

About 50 riot police with shields and body armor gathered outside the marble mausoleum of Kemal Ataturk before the pope’s visit. However, not a single protester emerged to challenge them.

The pope was also caught out politically within half an hour of arriving at Ankara airport. Prime Minister Erdogan greeted him and immediately asked for his support for Turkey’s entry into the European Union.

Two years ago, as Joseph Ratzinger, he had said he opposed Turkey’s entry.

However, Mr. Erdogan was able to boast after their meeting that the pope had performed an about-turn and would now support Turkey.

Later, the Vatican issued a statement. It said: “The Holy See does not have the power or specific task, politically, to intervene on the precise point of Turkey’s entrance into the European Union. It does not strive for it. All the same, it sees positively and encourages the path of dialogue and of” Turkey “becoming closer and integrated into Europe.”