EMBASSY VATICAN TEXT FOR NICHOLSON CONFIRMATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 003756

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (DEAN, SPILSBURY)

FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 120/001

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PHUM MZ PHUM MZ VT VTEAID
SUBJECT: EMBASSY VATICAN TEXT FOR NICHOLSON CONFIRMATION


STATEMENT

REFS: A) GFROWICK/SDEAN TELCON 7/12


1. PER REFTELCON, EMBASSY VATICAN OFFERS THE FOLLOWING TEXT
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PAGE 02 VATICA 03756 01 OF 02 131452Z
FOR POSSIBLE USE BY NOMINEE NICHOLSON'S OPENING STATEMENT:

BEGIN TEXT:

IN 1984 THE UNITED STATES JOINED 107 OTHER COUNTRIES,
INCLUDING ALL OF OUR WESTERN ALLIES, WHEN WE ESTABLISHED
NORMAL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE HOLY SEE. THE HOLY SEE
IS AN ENTITY THAT, UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW, HAS AN
INTERNATIONAL "PERSONALITY" WHICH GIVES THE JURIDICAL
EQUIVALENT OF A STATE AND THAT HAS ITS TERRITORIAL
MANIFESTATION IN THE VATICAN CITY STATE. IN THE CONTEXT OF
THE DAY, THIS NEW RELATIONSHIP MADE A LOT OF SENSE: IT
HELPED US MAKE COMMON CAUSE WITH HOLY SEE AGAINST COMMUNISM
AND THREATS TO WORLD SECURITY IN WANING DAYS OF COLD WAR.

AT THAT TIME THERE WERE CONCERNS THAT ESTABLISHING THIS
RELATIONSHIP WOULD INFRINGE ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL SEPARATION
OF CHURCH AND STATE. I THINK THAT THE WORK OF OUR EMBASSY
DURING THE INTERVENING YEARS HAS BORNE OUT THE WISDOM OF
ESTABLISHING THIS RELATIONSHIP. THAT WORK HAS FOCUSED ON
THE MOST IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL ISSUES OF THE DAY.

DURING THOSE YEARS THE VERY SMALL STAFF OF OUR EMBASSY TO
THE HOLY SEE HAS PROVIDED INVALUABLE REPORTING ON VATICAN
EFFORTS TO PROMOTE HUMAN RIGHTS AND RESOLVE CONFLICTS AROUND
THE WORLD. IT HAS HELPED TO SUSTAIN A COMMON FRONT AGAINST
AGGRESSION IN PLACES AS DIVERSE AS KOSOVO AND IRAQ, AND IT
HAS WORKED WITH VATICAN COUNTERPARTS TO RESOLVE CONFLICT IN
AFRICA -- MOST NOTABLY IN MOZAMBIQUE.

(NOTE: EMBASSY STAFF CONSISTS OF THREE FOREIGN SERVICE
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PAGE 03 VATICA 03756 01 OF 02 131452Z
OFFICERS AND ABOUT A DOZEN LOCALLY HIRED STAFF).

THE TIMES ARE CHANGING. IN THIS NEW MILLENIUM MANY THREATS
TO OUR SECURITY AND PROSPERITY ARE GLOBAL IN NATURE -- AND
HOLY SEE CAN BE A USEFUL PARTNER ON MANY ISSUES AND IN MANY
AREAS OF THE WORLD:

EXAMPLES OF WHERE WE ARE COLLABORATING OR CAN COLLABORATE
FRUITFULLY WITH THE HOLY SEE:

DEVELOPMENT ISSUES:

-- FIGHTING AIDS, ESPECIALLY IN AFRICA; PROMOTING
RESPONSIBLE USE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE; DEBT
RELIEF.

SECURITY ISSUES:

-- ENDING REGIONAL CONFLICTS (CONGO, BURUNDI, SUDAN,
NAGORNO-KARABAKH),

-- INTER-COMMUNAL RECONCILIATION (OUR EMBASSY HAS DEVELOPED
PROJECTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE VATICAN AFFILIATED LAY
COMMUNITY OF SANT'EGIDIO IN THE BALKANS, AND IN MOZAMBIQUE),

-- EUROPEAN SECURITY (THE POPE'S OUTREACH TO ORTHODOX FITS
WITH OUR OWN INTEREST IN PROMOTING "A EUROPE WHOLE AND
FREE").

DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES:

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PAGE 04 VATICA 03756 01 OF 02 131452Z
-- HOLY SEE IS A VALUABLE PARTNER IN PROMOTING DEMOCRACY
ABROAD (CUBA, CHINA, MIDDLE EAST, ETC.)

-- VERY IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIP TO PROMOTE INTERNATIONAL
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM; OUR EMBASSY TO THE HOLY SEE PLAYS UNIQUE
ROLE IN SUPPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT
OF 1998 BY SHARING INFORMATION ON PROBLEM AREAS LITERALLY
AROUND THE ENTIRE WORLD, WHERE THE HOLY SEE, UNIQUELY AMONG
SMALL "COUNTRIES" HAS IMPORTANT PRESENCE THROUGH THE ROMAN
CATHOLIC CHURCH AND ITS MISSIONARY AND SPECIALIZED COUNCILS.

TO ELABORATE,

EMBASSY VATICAN IS KEEPING CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE HOLY SEE
IN REGARD TO QUESTIONS OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN CHINA. THE
VATICAN SHARES U.S. CONCERNS ON THE NEED TO PROMOTE
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN CHINA. THE VATICAN DOES NOT HAVE
OFFICIAL TIES WITH CHINA. IT DOES HOWEVER MAINTAIN FORMAL
DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH TAIWAN. THIS IS A UNIQUE DIPLOMATIC
SITUATION ON THE EUROPEAN CONTINENT.

WE FOLLOW WITH INTEREST THE EFFORTS OF THE VATICAN AND
CARITAS, THE VATICAN'S ARM FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, TO
ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING OF THE POPULATION OF NORTH KOREA.

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UNCLASSIFIED PTQ5675

PAGE 01 VATICA 03756 02 OF 02 131452Z
ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 INL-00
DODE-00 SRPP-00 EB-00 UTED-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00
IO-00 L-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OPIC-01 PRS-00
P-00 SP-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 SNIS-00
NISC-00 PRM-01 DRL-02 G-00 SAS-00 /007W
-------------- 0542EB 131456Z /38
O 131533Z JUL 01
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0000

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 003756

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (DEAN, SPILSBURY)

FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 120/001

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PHUM MZ PHUM MZ VT VTEAID

SUBJECT: EMBASSY VATICAN TEXT FOR NICHOLSON CONFIRMATION

STATEMENT

CARITAS HAS SUPPLIED AID ESTIMATED AT $25 MILLION IN VALUE
TO NORTH KOREA OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS. WE RECOGNIZE THAT
THE VATICAN, WHICH DOES NOT HAVE FORMAL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
WITH NORTH KOREA, HAS LEGITIMATE INTERESTS IN THE WELFARE OF
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PAGE 02 VATICA 03756 02 OF 02 131452Z
THE ESTIMATED 2,000-4,000 CATHOLICS IN NORTH KOREA.

WE ARE KEEPING TRACK OF VATICAN DISCUSSIONS WITH VIETNAM ON
THE STATUS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN VIETNAM AND THE
EVENTUAL ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICIAL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
BETWEEN VIETNAM AND THE HOLY SEE.

NOT TO SAY WE AGREE ON EVERYTHING -- WE HAVE DIFFERENCES ON
MEPP, ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS, AND
ON SOCIAL ISSUES LIKE THE DEATH PENALTY. BUT THESE
DIFFERENCES ARE A NATURAL PART OF ANY HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP.
ON GLOBALIZATION, FOR EXAMPLE, WE MIGHT WANT TO LISTEN TO
THE POPE'S CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM, WHICH HE SEEKS TO
COMMUNICATE OVER THE DIN OF ANARCHIC BABBLE WE SEE IN GENOA
THIS WEEK. THE VATICAN URGES THE CREATION OF AN
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY THAT IS MORE SUPPORTIVE OF POOR, MORE
SHARING OF TECHNOLOGY AND KNOWLEDGE AND LESS UNEQUAL IN
DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH -- PRECISELY TO MAKE THE WORD A MORE
STABLE AND PROSPEROUS PLACE FOR ALL OF US.

I WILL MAKE SURE THAT OUR EMBASSY TO HOLY SEE WILL BE A
VALUABLE TOOL TO PROMOTE U.S. VIEWS ACROSS ALL THESE AREAS
AND MORE -- AND TO MAKE IT A VALUABLE "LISTENING POST" TO
BENEFIT FROM THE KNOWLEDGE AND VIEWS OF ONE OF THE WORLD'S
MOST SOPHISTICATED AND GLOBALLY ACTIVE DIPLOMATIC CORPS.
END TEXT.
MERANTE

UNCLASSIFIED

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2001VATICA03756 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED