BACKGROUND PAPER FOR PRESIDENTIAL VISIT: IRAQ

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 003121 SIPDIS DEPT. FOR: EUR/WE (VAN CLEVE) FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 85/001 E.O. 12958: DECL 06/07/11 TAGS: PREL PGOV IR VT SUBJECT: BACKGROUND PAPER FOR PRESIDENTIAL VISIT: IRAQ CLASSIFIED BY CDA JOSEPH MERANTE, REASONS E.O. 12958 1.5 (B),(D). ¶1. (C) BEGIN TEXT. THE VATICAN CONDEMNED THE WEST'S PROSECUTION OF THE GULF WAR, AND IT HAS CONSISTENTLY CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 03121 111605Z OPPOSED U.S. SANCTIONS POLICY TOWARD IRAQ. WE SHOULD EXPECT IT TO CONTINUE TO DO SO. MANY FACTORS ARE INVOLVED IN THE VATICAN'S TOLERATION OF THE IRAQI REGIME. THE MOST IMPORTANT ARE: -- RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES/HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS: THE VATICAN SEEKS TO TRANSLATE ITS RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, AS WELL AS ITS SINCERE HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS, INTO CONCRETE POLICY. ITS NON-CONFRONTATIONAL POLICY TOWARD IRAQ IS PARTIALLY BASED ON ITS CONVICTION THAT THE ECONOMIC EMBARGO IS SEVERELY IMPACTING THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ. TO COUNTER THIS BELIEF, CREDIBLE ARGUMENTS MUST BE MADE THAT THE EMBARGO IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HARDSHIP BEING EXPERIENCED BY THE IRAQI PEOPLE; -- NATIONAL SELF-INTEREST: THE VATICAN LABORS TO PROTECT CATHOLICS AROUND THE WORLD. ITS CONSISTENT SUPPORT OF SADDAM HUSSEIN PARTIALLY RESULTS FROM ITS DESIRE TO PROTECT THE 600,000 IRAQI CATHOLICS FROM ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM. THE VATICAN HAS CONSISTENTLY TOLD US THAT, IN ITS VIEW, THE STATE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN IRAQ IS BETTER THAN IN MANY OTHER ARAB COUNTRIES. IN THE VATICAN'S VIEW, THE LIKELY ALTERNATIVE TO SADDAM WOULD BE AN ISLAMIC GOVERNMENT. FOR THE VATICAN, A SECULAR DICTATORSHIP IS MUCH PREFERABLE TO AN ISLAMIC ONE. (NOTE: 600,00 IRAQI'S BELONG TO THE CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. THIS CHURCH IS IN FULL COMMUNION WITH ROME, ALTHOUGH IT RETAINS RITES, TRADITIONS, AND DISCIPLINE WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT FROM ROMAN CATHOLICISM). CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 VATICA 03121 111605Z --RELIGIOUS MANEUVERING: THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IS CLOSE TO SIGNING AN AGREEMENT WITH THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST ON REUNIFICATION WITH ROME. (NOTE: THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST IS AN ANCIENT CHURCH WHICH BROKE WITH THE REST OF WORLD CHRISTENDOM IN THE 4TH CENTURY). THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST IS CENTERED IN IRAQ, AND AS A CHRISTIAN DENOMINATION PREFERS SADDAM HUSSEIN TO AN ISLAMICIST LEADER. THE VATICAN IS VERY SENSITIVE AT THIS POINT TO AVOID TAKING POSITIONS WHICH WOULD ALIENATE THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH. -- PERSONAL DESIRES OF JOHN PAUL II: THERE ARE THREE MAJOR TRIPS WHICH THE POPE HAS EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO COMPLETE BEFORE HIS HEALTH FURTHER DETERIORATES-- RUSSIA, CHINA, IRAQ. PLANS FOR THE POPE TO VISIT THE SITE OF ABRAHAM'S BIRTH IN UR (IRAQ) WERE CALLED OFF IN 2000. THE POPE STILL HARBORS A DESIRE TO PRAY AT THIS SITE. THIS PAPAL DESIRE IS ANOTHER REASON WHY THE VATICAN WISHES TO MAINTAIN GOOD RELATIONS WITH IRAQ. ¶2. (C) CONCLUSION: UNLESS SADDAM'S HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES INCREASE SUBSTANTIALLY, AND DIRECTLY IMPACT THE IRAQI CATHOLIC COMMUNITY, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE VATICAN WILL CHANGE ITS POSITION ON IRAQ. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO BRIEF THE VATICAN ON CONTINUED IRAQI ABUSES, AND TO PROVIDE CREDIBLE EVIDENCE OF SADDAM HUSSEIN'S MALEVOLENT INTENT AGAINST NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES. MERANTE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 VATICA 03121 111605Z CONFIDENTIAL > 2001VATICA03121 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL