Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
01VATICAN2499
2001-05-07 15:15:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Vatican
Cable title:  

UPDATE - SANT'EGIDIO BOSNIA CONFERENCE

Tags:  PREL PGOV BK VT 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 002499 

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR: EUR (SWIGERT); EUR/BI (BEECROFT); PD/ECA
(SEXTON); EUR/WE (VANCLEVE); EUR/SCE (WEXEL),EUR/ERA

FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 65/001

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/11
TAGS: PREL PGOV BK VT
SUBJECT: UPDATE - SANT'EGIDIO BOSNIA CONFERENCE

REFS: A) VATICAN 2282 B) SARAJEVO 02068
C)SWIGERT-MERANTE TELCON 05/03
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 VATICA 02499 071528Z

CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE JOSEPH MERANTE, REASONS E.O. 12958
(B) , (D) .

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 002499

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR: EUR (SWIGERT); EUR/BI (BEECROFT); PD/ECA
(SEXTON); EUR/WE (VANCLEVE); EUR/SCE (WEXEL),EUR/ERA

FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 65/001

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/11
TAGS: PREL PGOV BK VT
SUBJECT: UPDATE - SANT'EGIDIO BOSNIA CONFERENCE

REFS: A) VATICAN 2282 B) SARAJEVO 02068
C)SWIGERT-MERANTE TELCON 05/03
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 VATICA 02499 071528Z

CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE JOSEPH MERANTE, REASONS E.O. 12958
(B) , (D) .


1. (U) THIS CABLE CONTAINS A GUIDANCE REQUEST -- PLEASE
SEE PARA FIVE.


2. (C) PURSUANT TO REF C, CHARGE AND A/DCM MET IN THE
AFTERNOON OF 5/4 WITH SANT'EGIDIO FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR
ANDREA RICCARDI TO DISCUSS HOW TO PUSH THE PACE OF THE
PROPOSED INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE FOR BOSNIA. RICCARDI'S
ASSISTANT, CLAUDIO BETTI, HAD HEARD FROM CARDINAL PULJIC
(THE KEY INTERLOCUTOR IN THIS DIALOGUE) THAT PULJIC
SUPPORTS THE CONFERENCE BUT THAT THE EARLIEST HE CAN ATTEND
WOULD BE JUNE 7-8. SANT'EGIDIO IS PUSHING AHEAD TO CONFIRM
THE OTHER INVITEES FOR THAT DATE. A/DCM REMINDED RICCARDI
THAT THE IMPENDING HDZ DECLARATION OF A SEPARATE ENTITY IN
BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA HAS LENT SOME URGENCY TO THE CONFERENCE,
BUT RICCARDI INSISTED THAT TO HAVE A PRODUCTIVE DIALOGUE
PULJIC NEEDED TO BE FULLY ON BOARD, AND JUNE 7 IS THE BEST
THEY CAN DO.

3. (C) RICCARDI TOLD US THAT SANT'EGIDIO WOULD IN THE
MEANTIME HAVE OTHER MEETINGS WITH THE CARDINAL IN WHICH
THEY WOULD PRESS HIM TO TAKE A MODERATE LINE VIS A VIS THE
HDZ GAMBIT. DON VICENZO PAGLIA WILL SEE PULJIC SOON FOR A
CONFIRMATION IN BOSNIA; RICCARDI SAID THAT DON VICENZO WILL
PRESS FOR MODERATION, AS WILL RICCARDI HIMSELF WHEN HE SEES
PULJIC DURING THE 5/23 CONSISTORY IN ROME. RICCARDI
BELIEVED THAT THE FACT THAT PULJIC ACCEPTED THE IDEA OF AN
OFF-SITE CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS INTERCOMMUNAL RECONCILIATION
INDICATES THAT PULJIC IS "LOOKING FOR A WAY OUT OF THE
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03 VATICA 02499 071528Z
BOX."


4. (C) PER REF B, CHARGE CALLED UK AMBASSADOR PELLEW IN
THE MORNING OF 5/4 TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT THAT THE
PROJECT IS SANT'EGIDIO'S. (NOTE: POST HAS PUSHED
AGGRESSIVELY FOR THE CONFERENCE TO OCCUR ASAP, AS WELL AS
FOR CO-FUNDING OF THE CONFERENCE, AND HAS SECURED A PLEDGE
FROM THE AUSTRIAN EMBASSY HERE TO PROVIDE AIR TRANSPORT FOR
THE BOSNIANS AS WELL AS A PLEDGE FROM THE SWEDISH EMBASSY
(EU PRESIDENCY) TO CO-FUND THE REMAINDER OF THE EXPENSES.
BUT THE TIME HAS COME FOR SANT'EGIDIO TO TAKE THE REINS.
END NOTE.) PELLEW (PLEASE PROTECT),PERHAPS REFLECTING
FRUSTRATION THAT HIS MISSION HAS BEEN OUT OF THE LOOP, TOLD
US SANT'EGIDIO IS MORE EFFECTIVE WHEN GIVEN SUFFICIENT LEAD
TO DO THINGS IN THEIR OWN WAY (READ: SLOWLY AND WITH GREAT
DELIBERATION). HE WASN'T CERTAIN THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE
TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL EVENT IF "PRESSURIZED" BY THE USG. WE
LATER ASSURED RICCARDI THAT WE SEE THIS AS A SANT'EGIDIO
PROJECT, AND THAT WE WERE THERE TO HELP AS NEEDED. HE TOO
BELIEVED THAT WAS THE BEST APPROACH, AND SAID SANT'EGIDIO
WOULD COORDINATE AMONG THE OTHER EMBASSIES INVOLVED. POST
WILL NOT HESITATE TO JUMP BACK IN, HOWEVER, IF SANT'EGIDIO
LOOKS LIKE IT IS DROPPING THE BALL.


5. (SBU) RICCARDI SUGGESTED THAT WE SEE PULJIC WHEN HE IS
HERE -- WE CAN DO SO AND WOULD APPRECIATE GUIDANCE FROM
DEPARTMENT/EMBASSY SARAJEVO ON WHETHER TO DO SO AND LATEST
TALKING POINTS TO DEPLOY. MERANTE

CONFIDENTIAL

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2001VATICA02499 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL