ISTANBUL, Turkey — The Turkish man who shot Pope John Paul II wished the hospitalized pontiff a speedy recovery from the flu and breathing problems yesterday, but also urged him to tell the world that its end is near — the latest cryptic message from the mysterious man behind the 1981 attack.

Mehmet Ali Agca was extradited to Turkey in 2000 after serving almost 20 years in Italy for the 1981 shooting of the pope.

Agca, who remains behind bars in Turkey for separate crimes, has given conflicting reasons for the attack on the pope, and his motives remain unclear.

In a brief, handwritten letter in Italian, Agca wished the pope well. But he also made apocalyptic references, referring to the end of the world.

"You and I suffer for the realization of a universal divine plan," Agca said. "I wish you a speedy recovery."

The message was faxed yesterday to The Associated Press by his attorney.

Agca has previously suggested he was merely an instrument of God's plans.

He also thanked the pope for revealing the "third secret" of Fatima in 2000, a 1917 vision of a pope struck down by bullets and arrows but spared from death.

"I thank you for having revealed on May 13 the third secret of Fatima. Dear Pope, now you have to confirm the Divine Truth that we are at the end of the world. This is the last generation of humanity on planet Earth. Only like this will God give you health and miraculous strength for the coming years," Agca wrote.

The Vatican said yesterday the pope was improving and breathing more easily, but hinted the frail 84-year-old pontiff may have to spend up to a week in the hospital to fully recover.

He spent a second restful night at Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital, where he was taken Tuesday after suffering what the Vatican called an inflamed windpipe and spasms of the larynx, which made it difficult for him to breathe.

The pope has long forgiven Agca and even worked to secure his release from prison in Italy.

"I embrace you, Karol Wojtyla. I send you my best wishes," Agca added, referring to the pope by his birth name.

Agca initially claimed he was acting alone, but later said he was trained by Bulgarian and Czech experts and that the KGB was responsible for the attempted assassination.

During his trial in Italy, he said part of his testimony had been lies and even claimed to be Jesus Christ.

In Turkey, Agca has been linked to the ultranationalist group, the Gray Wolves, and is admired by some right-wing extremists, who consider him a patriot for fighting leftists in Turkey in the 1970s.

In 2000, Agca was extradited to Turkey and was sent to prison to serve a 10-year sentence for the 1979 murder of one of the country's best known journalists, Abdi Ipekci. He was separately sentenced to seven years and four months for two 1979 robberies.

His attorneys now claim Agca could be released from jail as early as this year because of recent changes to Turkish law, although it is unclear if authorities will free him.