BACKGROUND PAPER FOR PRESIDENTIAL VISIT: MEPP

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 003149 SIPDIS DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (VAN CLEVE) EMBASSY VATICAN MESSAGE NO. 89/001 E.O. 12958: DECL: 06//12/11 TAGS: PREL PHUM XF VT SUBJECT: BACKGROUND PAPER FOR PRESIDENTIAL VISIT: MEPP CLASSIFIED BY CDA JOSEPH MERANTE, REASONS E.O. 12958 1.5 (B),(D). ¶1. (C) BELOW IS DRAFT EMBASSY VATICAN BACKGROUND PAPER FOR POSSIBLE VISIT BY PRESIDENT BUSH TO THE VATICAN. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 03149 121501Z -------------- THE VATICAN AND THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS -------------- ¶2. (C) THE VATICAN'S POSITION ON THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS HAS EVOLVED SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. FOR MANY YEARS, THE VATICAN CALLED FOR THE "INTERNATIONALIZATION" OF JERUSALEM, BUT IN THE LATE '90'S THE POSITION CHANGED TO THE "INTERNATIONALIZATION" OF JERUSALEM "INTRAMURA" (WITHIN THE WALLS). MOST RECENTLY, ON THE ISSUE OF JERUSALEM THE VATICAN MOVED SUBSTANTIALLY IN A DIRECTION WHICH CAN BE SEEN AS CONSTRUCTIVE. IT HAS DROPPED THE CALL FOR INTERNATIONALIZING ANY PART OF JERUSALEM AND IS NOW ASKING THAT THE SHRINES OF THE THREE RELIGIONS PRESERVE THEIR UNIQUE AND SACRED CHARACTER THROUGH "INTERNATIONAL GUARANTEES", IN SUCH A WAY THAT IN THE FUTURE "NONE OF THE PARTIES WILL BE ABLE TO CLAIM FOR ITSELF EXCLUSIVE CONTROL OF THESE SACRED PARTS OF THE CITY". SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE CITY WOULD BE A MATTER FOR THE ISRAELIS AND THE PALESTINIANS TO NEGOTIATE. ¶3. (C) DESPITE A MORE CONSTRUCTIVE STAND ON THE FUTURE OF JERUSALEM, THE VATICAN'S TILT TOWARD THE PALESTINIAN SIDE OF THE CONFLICT HAS BEEN MORE EVIDENT IN THE WAKE OF THE MOST RECENT VIOLENCE. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS TO THE INCREASE IN OVERT SYMPATHY FOR THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE. IT REFLECTS IN LARGE PART THE VATICAN'S NEED TO MIND THE INTERESTS OF THE PALESTINIAN CHRISTIANS. ONE OF THE VATICAN'S WORST FEARS IS A JERUSALEM DEVOID OF CHRISTIANS. THE VATICAN HAS BEEN ALSO TELLING EMBASSY CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 VATICA 03149 121501Z VATICAN THAT IT BELIEVES IT NEEDS TO SHORE UP YASSIR ARAFAT, AS IT IS CONCERNED WITH WHAT DIRECTION THE PALESTINIAN MOVEMENT WILL TAKE AFTER ARAFAT LEAVES THE SCENE (I.E. ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM). THE PERCEIVED TILT MAY ALSO REFLECT RESIDUAL ANTI-SEMITIC ATTITUDES THAT STILL EXIST AMONG SOME WITHIN THE VATICAN. FINALLY, IT COULD ALSO BE THE RESULT OF POLITICAL MANEUVERING BY PRIME MINISTER SODANO AS HE ORGANIZES HIS CAMPAIGN FOR THE PAPACY. A PRO-PALESTINIAN STANCE IS POPULAR AMONG CARDINALS FROM THE THIRD WORLD. MERANTE CONFIDENTIAL > 2001VATICA03149 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL