VATICAN VERBATIM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 003571 SIPDIS DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (VAN CLEVE),EUR/PD/PA, EAP/K, DRL/IRF FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 111/01 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM ECON EAID TBIO SOCI KN PHUM ECON EAID TBIO SOCI KN VT VTPREL SUBJECT: VATICAN VERBATIM REF: A) VATICAN 3027; B) VATICAN 3442; C) VATICAN 1244 UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 VATICA 03571 01 OF 02 061256Z ¶1. (U) THE JUNE 30 - JULY 06 EDITION OF NEWS AND VIEWS FROM VATICAN CITY. CONTENTS: - G8: GENOA'S ARCHBISHOP REJECTS VIOLENT PROTESTS - REPORT ALLEGES MILLIONS OF CHRISTIANS SUFFER PERSECUTION - POPE ENCOURAGES ETHICAL USE OF XENOTRANSPLANTS - CARITAS OFFICIALS SAYS FOOD AID FOR NORTH KOREA CRUCIAL - MOTOWN CARDINAL BOOGIES AT "BEST EVER" JULY 4 EVENT -------------- -------------- G8: GENOA'S CARDINAL ARCHBISHOP WANTS NON-VIOLENT PROTESTS -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) GENOA'S ARCHBISHOP, CARDINAL DIONIGI TETTAMANZI, HAS REJECTED VIOLENT PROTESTS AGAINST THE G8 SUMMIT LATER THIS MONTH (REFTELS A AND B). IN AN INTERVIEW WITH CENTER- LEFT ITALIAN DAILY "LA REPUBBLICA," THE CARDINAL DESCRIBED THE "SEATTLE PEOPLE" AS A NEW CULTURAL PHENOMENON. INSISTING THAT ORDINARY PEOPLE MUST HAVE A MEANS OF VOICING THEIR OPINIONS AND INFLUENCING THE ECONOMIC PROCESS, HE ALSO SAID THAT VIOLENCE IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO ACHIEVE THAT END. MEANWHILE, THOUSANDS OF YOUNG CATHOLICS ARE EXPECTED TO DESCEND ON GENOA JULY 7-8 FOR PRE-G8 PROTESTS. ORGANIZERS SAY THE YOUNG CATHOLICS ARE PROTESTING EARLY TO AVOID THE EXPECTED "PANDEMONIUM" DURING THE SUMMIT. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CATHOLIC GROUPS SAID THEY HAD NOTHING AGAINST THE "SEATTLE PEOPLE" BUT THAT THEY DID NOT WANT TO RUN THE RISK OF BEING DRAGGED INTO "A DEGENERATION INTO VIOLENCE". THE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 VATICA 03571 01 OF 02 061256Z SPOKESMAN SAID VIOLENCE WAS "AGAINST OUR PRINCIPLES AND IT IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE." THE YOUNG DEMONSTRATORS WILL BE WELCOMED TO GENOA BY CARDINAL TETTAMANZI. CHARGE HAS AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE THE CARDINAL AND WILL REPORT SEPTEL. -------------- -------------- RELIGIOUS FREEDOM LACKING FOR MILLIONS OF CHRISTIANS -------------- -------------- ¶3. (U) THE VATICAN-SANCTIONED RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WATCHDOG GROUP "AID TO THE CHURCH IN NEED" ALLEGES SOME 200 MILLION CHRISTIANS EXPERIENCE RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION. A 400-PAGE REPORT, THE THIRD OF ITS KIND, PROVIDED INFORMATION OF THE STATUS OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN EACH OF THE WORLD'S NATIONS. IT ALSO PROVIDED STATISTICAL INFORMATION ON NUMBERS OF RELIGIOUS BELIEVERS AND REFUGEES. AID TO THE CHURCH IN NEED ESTIMATES THAT 165,000 CHRISTIANS WERE KILLED LARGELY ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS DURING 2000. THE VIOLENCE WAS MOST PRONOUNCED IN INDONESIA, SUDAN, EAST TIMOR, INDIA AND EGYPT. ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, DISCRIMINATION AND LEGAL SANCTIONS AGAINST CHRISTIANS WERE MOST OBVIOUS IN CHINA, SUDAN, INDONESIA, NIGERIA AND TURKMENISTAN. AID TO THE CHURCH IN NEED ALSO POINTED OUT MORE SUBTLE FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. THE REPORT SAID A RECENT FRENCH BILL THAT CRIMINALIZES "MENTAL MANIPULATION" POTENTIALLY COULD BE TURNED AGAINST ANY PARENTS WHO RAISE THEIR CHILDREN IN A FAITH OR MONKS AND NUNS WHO LIVE IN COMMUNITIES THAT COULD BE VIEWED AS SECT-LIKE. -------------- -------------- POPE WANTS ETHICS-SCIENCE PARTNERSHIP FOR XENOTRANSPLANTS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 VATICA 03571 01 OF 02 061256Z -------------- -------------- ¶4. (U) POPE JOHN PAUL II HAS ENCOURAGED SCIENTISTS AND ETHICISTS TO WORK TOGETHER TO RESOLVE THE MORAL ISSUES SURROUNDING THE TRANSPLANT OF ANIMAL ORGANS INTO HUMANS. IN A JULY 3 MESSAGE, THE PONTIFF SAID ANY MORAL RESPONSE MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT RESPECT FOR HUMAN DIGNITY, POSSIBLE HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH TRANSPLANTING ORGANS FROM OTHER SPECIES AND ADEQUATE RESPECT FOR THE DONOR ANIMALS. THE POPE SAID XENOTRANSPLANT RESEARCH WAS IN THE INTEREST OF HUMANITY BECAUSE OF THE SERIOUS LACK OF AVAILABLE HUMAN ORGANS, WHICH HAS LED TO MANY TRANSPLANT PATIENTS DYING WHILE STILL ON WAITING LISTS. THE PAPAL MESSAGE COINCIDED WITH THE THIRD AND FINAL MEETING OF A WORKING GROUP OF THE PONTIFICAL ACADEMY FOR LIFE DEVOTED TO ANIMAL ORGAN TRANSPLANTS. -------------- FOOD AID FOR NORTH KOREA CRUCIAL -------------- ¶5. (U) THE CARITAS OFFICIAL WHO COORDINATES FOOD AID FOR NORTH KOREA SAYS AID IS URGENTLY NEEDED TO COMBAT THE EFFECTS OF DROUGHT AND FAMINE. ATTENDING AN AID CONFERENCE IN SOUTH KOREA, KATHI ZELLWEGER OF CARITAS HONG KONG (REFTEL C) SAID NORTH KOREA IS THREATENED BY A SEVERE FAMINE. ACCORDING TO ZELLWEGER, ONLY 5 PERCENT OF AN EXPECTED US UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ5181 PAGE 01 VATICA 03571 02 OF 02 061256Z ACTION EUR-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CA-01 CIAE-00 COME-00 DODE-00 DOEE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EAP-00 EB-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 UTED-00 VC-00 HHS-01 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 VCE-00 M-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OCS-03 OES-01 OIC-02 PA-00 PM-00 ACE-00 P-00 SCT-00 SP-00 IRM-00 SSO-00 SS-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 R-00 SNIS-00 NISC-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 G-00 SAS-00 /012W -------------- 01D2DB 061319Z /38 R 061341Z JUL 01 FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0000 INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY SEOUL AMCONSUL HONG KONG UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 003571 SIPDIS DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (VAN CLEVE),EUR/PD/PA, EAP/K, DRL/IRF FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 111/01 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM ECON EAID TBIO SOCI KN PHUM ECON EAID TBIO SOCI KN VT VTPREL SUBJECT: VATICAN VERBATIM UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 VATICA 03571 02 OF 02 061256Z DOLLARS 3.26 MILLION IN AID FROM INTERNATIONAL DONORS HAD BEEN CONFIRMED. IN ADDITION OF FOOD SHORTAGES AND MALNUTRITION, NORTH KOREA ALSO FACES SHORTAGES IN DRUGS AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES. (NOTE: SINCE 1995, THE VATICAN NGO CARITAS HAS DONATED SOME US DOLLARS 25 MILLION OF HUMANITARIAN AID TO NORTH KOREA, INCLUDING FACTORIES AND FARMING PROJECTS TO PRODUCE NOODLES AND SWEET POTATOES. END NOTE). ZELLWEGER SAID THAT IT HAS BECOME MUCH EASIER FOR AID AGENCIES TO OPERATE IN NORTH KOREA, ADDING THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS RECENTLY OPENED UP REMOTE VILLAGES TO VATICAN-BASED RELIEF AGENCIES. -------------- -------------- JULY 4 EVENT: TRADE, CULTURE AND THE BOOGYING CARDINAL -------------- -------------- ¶6. (U) POST'S JULY 4 EVENT RECEIVED WIDESPREAD COVERAGE FROM ROME-BASED MEDIA. WHILE SOME REPORTS DESCRIBED THE EVENT AS "FLASHY," THE BUFFET DINNER AND CONCERT WAS JUDGED BY MOST OF THE 500 GUESTS AS "THE BEST EVER." AN INCREASED NUMBER OF GUESTS FROM BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY MEANT THE EVENT'S US CORPORATE SPONSORS WERE ABLE TO PROMOTE TRADE OPPORTUNITIES. US CULTURE WAS HIGHLIGHTED BY THE PRESENCE OF THREE MASTER CHEFS, FLOWN IN FROM CALIFORNIA AND WASHINGTON DC, WHO PROVIDED GUESTS WITH A TASTE OF FINE AMERICAN CUISINE. FORMER SUPREME MARY WILSON AND HER BAND GAVE A ROUSING PERFORMANCE OF SOUL AND ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC. WHILE THE MOST OF THE NORMALLY SOLEMN VATICAN GOVERNMENT GUESTS LIMITED THEMSELVES TO TAPPING THEIR FEET, THE 74-YEAR OLD GOVERNOR OF VATICAN CITY, US CARDINAL EDMUND SZOKA, BOOGIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 VATICA 03571 02 OF 02 061256Z ENTHUSIASTICALLY THROUGHOUT WILSON'S HOUR-LONG PERFORMANCE. (NOTE: CARDINAL SZOKA WAS ARCHBISHOP OF DETROIT PRIOR TO HIS VATICAN APPOINTMENT AND HAS KNOWN MARY WILSON SINCE SHE WAS A CHILD. END NOTE). MERANTE UNCLASSIFIED > 2001VATICA03571 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED