REINVIGORATING THE MEPP? KISSINGER VISITS THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 002867

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR: NEA/IAI, EUR/WE

FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 76/001

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/24/06
TAGS: PREL PGOV XR VT
SUBJECT: REINVIGORATING THE MEPP? KISSINGER VISITS THE


VATICAN

REF: A) STATE 89338

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


1. (C) SUMMARY: HENRY KISSINGER MET WITH VATICAN PRIME
MINISTER AND FOREIGN MINISTER ON MAY 22. THE VATICAN
STRESSED THE NEED FOR AN "INTERNATIONAL FORCE" TO KEEP THE
ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS APART. IN A SUBSEQUENT
CONVERSATION, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TOLD CHARGE THAT THE
VATICAN IS NOW PROPOSING AN INTERNATIONAL FORCE. IN
ADDITION, IT PLANS TO SEND A "SPECIAL ENVOY" TO ISRAEL AND
THE TERRITORIES. JERUSALEM HAS REACTED COOLLY TO BOTH
PROPOSALS. VATICAN RESPONSE TO REFTEL FOCUSED ON NEED FOR
IMMEDIATE STOP TO VIOLENCE LEST "HABITS OF WAR" BECOME SET.
END SUMMARY.


2. (C) FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE HENRY KISSINGER VISITED
VATICAN CITY MAY 22-23. HE WAS IN ITALY IN HIS CAPACITY AS
THE CHAIR OF THE ADVISORY BOARD OF BOOZ/ALLEN, WHICH WAS
HOLDING ITS ANNUAL MEETING. DR. KISSINGER MET VATICAN
PRIME MINISTER SODANO AND FOREIGN MINISTER TAURAN EVENING
OF MAY 22. KISSINGER BRIEFED CHARGE MORNING OF MAY 23.
THE FORMER SECRETARY SAID THAT THE MEETING FOCUSED ON THE
SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THE VATICAN REPEATED ITS
CALL FOR INTERNATIONAL GUARANTEES FOR THE HOLY SITES, AND
GAVE DR. KISSINGER A NON-PAPER (FAXED TO EUR/WE MAY 24).
IN ADDITION, SODANO AND TAURAN STRESSED THE NEED FOR AN
"INTERNATIONAL FORCE" TO KEEP THE ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS
APART. CHARGE ACCOMPANIED DR. KISSINGER TO A PRESENTATION
TO THE POPE ON THE MORNING OF MAY 23. THE POPE LOOKED
EXTREMELY WEAK, AND APPEARED NOT TO RECOGNIZE DR.
KISSINGER. AFTER THE THREE MINUTE MEETING WITH THE POPE,
DR. KISSINGER REMARKED TO THE CHARGE THAT THE POPE SEEMED
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TO BE UNAWARE OF HIS IDENTITY.


3. (C) CHARGE SPOKE TO ISRAELI AMBASSADOR JOSEPH LAMDAN
EVENING OF MAY 23. THE AMBASSADOR USED THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
TELL CHARGE THAT THE VATICAN HAS BEEN RAISING THE IDEA OF
AN "INTERNATIONAL FORCE". LAMDAN SAID THAT HIS GOVERNMENT
RESPONDED VERY "COLDLY" TO THE IDEA. HE ALSO TOLD CHARGE
THAT THE VATICAN TOLD HIM IT WOULD SEND A "SPECIAL ENVOY"
TO ISRAEL AND THE TERRITORIES. AMBASSADOR LAMDAN SAID THAT
AT FIRST, JERUSALEM SAID IT WOULDN'T RECEIVE HIM, BUT IS
NOW RECONSIDERING.


4. (C) POLOFF SUBSEQUENTLY MET WITH VATICAN MIDDLE EAST
DIRECTOR GIOVANNI D'ANIELLO MAY 24 TO SHARE REFTEL POINTS
ON US REENGAGEMENT IN THE MEPP AND TO PASS HIM A COPY OF
SUMMARY OF MITCHELL REPORT TAKEN FROM INTERNET. D'ANIELLO
THANKED US FOR THE PAPER (NOTE: DESPITE THEIR FOCUS ON THE
NEW MILLENNIUM, THE CURIA IS NOT YET FULLY WIRED).
D'ANIELLO, INVOKING THE POPE'S SUNDAY HOMILY, SAID IT IS
MOST IMPORTANT NOW FOR THE ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN LEADERS
TO HAVE THE POLITICAL COURAGE TO STOP THE VIOLENCE. FROM
THAT EVERYTHING ELSE WAS POSSIBLE. D'ANIELLO NOTED THE
EXISTENCE OF A NUMBER OF PLANS AND INTERNATIONAL
INSTRUMENTS FOR PROGRAMMING CONFIDENCE BUILDING -- BUT CAME
BACK TO THE NEED FOR THE VIOLENCE TO STOP FIRST. IF REAL
PROGRESS IS NOT SHOWN NOW, HE FEARED THAT PEOPLE, BOTH IN
THE REGION AND INTERNATIONALLY, WILL BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO
THE VIOLENCE AND THE CONFLICT WOULD GRIND ON INDEFINITELY.
HE DID UNDERSCORE THE VATICAN'S POSITION THAT THE HOLY
SITES IN JERUSALEM SHOULD COME UNDER INTERNATIONAL
GUARANTEES, AND HE AVERRED THAT REACHING AN AGREEMENT TO
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THAT END WOULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS BUILDING CONFIDENCE.
HE TOO SAID THAT THE VATICAN SUPPORTS THE DEPLOYMENT OF AN
INTERNATIONAL FORCE TO ENSURE PEACE, BUT HE DIDN'T SHARE
WITH POLOFF ANY HINT OF A VATICAN SPECIAL ENVOY.
MERANTE

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2001VATICA02867 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL