I'm thinking that the reporter is taking an optimistic interpretation, but...

Responding to a list of questions published in the paper by Mr Scalfari, who is not a Roman Catholic, Francis wrote: “You ask me if the God of the Christians forgives those who don’t believe and who don’t seek the faith. I start by saying – and this is the fundamental thing – that God’s mercy has no limits if you go to him with a sincere and contrite heart. The issue for those who do not believe in God is to obey their conscience.

“Sin, even for those who have no faith, exists when people disobey their conscience.”

This is... interesting...

Let's see how quickly the Vatican frantically "clarifies" his statement.
(Anyone else notice that the Vatican keeps running a lot of hasty damage "clarification" on what this Pope says? From an outsider's perspective, it's intriguing to wonder what conflicts are taking place at the top...)