CARDINAL PROTESTS G8, SEEKS

UNCLAS VATICAN 003027 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (VANCLEVE); EUR/ERA (TROUT); P (TEPPER); EB (A. PENCE) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EAID ETRD PREL PHUM PGOV VT SUBJECT: CARDINAL PROTESTS G8, SEEKS GLOBALIZATION WITH A HUMAN FACE ¶1. (U) THIS IS A REQUEST FOR GUIDANCE, PLEASE SEE PARA FOUR. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 VATICA 03027 060848Z ¶2. (U) CARDINAL DIONIGI TETTAMANZI OF THE GENOA ARCHDIOCESE IS PLANNING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE G8 SUMMIT IN GENOA TO PROMOTE THE VATICAN'S VISION OF A GLOBALIZATION THAT LEAVES NO INDIVIDUAL BEHIND. THE CARDINAL HAS INITIATED A SERIES OF PRE-G8 CONFERENCES TO REFLECT ON CHRISTIAN HUMANISM AND THE ECONOMY IN THE FACE OF GLOBALIZATION. THE LATEST OF THESE CONFERENCES, ATTENDED BY OVER 1000 PEOPLE, WAS SPONSORED BY A CATHOLIC NGO (NEW HUMANITY) AND WAS SUPPORTED BY ARCHDIOCESE OF GENOA. THE WEEKEND CONFERENCE DEVELOPED A PLAN TO PRESENT TO G8 SUMMITEERS A "GENOA DOCUMENT" INTENDED TO PROMOTE "AN ECONOMY OF COMMUNION" (I.E. AN ECONOMY WHICH VALUES THE PARTICIPATION OF ALL MEMBERS OF A SOCIETY AND WHICH EXPLICITLY PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR THE POOR). ¶3. (U) TETTAMANZI UNDERLINES THAT THE CHURCH, UNLIKE MOST SECULAR PROTESTERS (E.G. THE "SEATTLE GROUP") IS NOT AGAINST GLOBALIZATION PER SE, WHICH IT VIEWS AS AN HISTORICAL INEVITABILITY. VATICAN AND CHURCH RELATED NGOS WILL SEEK TO CONFRONT IN GENOA ONLY THE NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF GLOBALIZATION. DURING THE G8 TETTAMANZI WILL FOCUS PROTEST ON AREAS WHERE GLOBALIZATION RESULTS IN BASIC INJUSTICES (SUCH AS INCREASING POVERTY) WHICH HE ASSERTS ARE REAL AND DRAMATIC IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. HE WILL ALSO OFFER SOLUTIONS BASED ON THE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 VATICA 03027 060848Z ETHICAL TREATMENT OF HUMAN BEINGS. ¶4. (SBU) CHARGE PLANS TO VISIT THE CARDINAL AND WILL UNDERSCORE THE NEED FOR ANY ANTI- GLOBALIZATION RHETORIC TO FOCUS ON REAL PROBLEMS AND REAL SOLUTIONS. POST WOULD APPRECIATE GUIDANCE ON SPECIFIC THEMES TO RAISE. MERANTE UNCLASSIFIED > 2001VATICA03027 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED