AMBASSADOR NICHOLSON BEGINS CREDENTIALING PROCESS:

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 004659 SIPDIS DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (KILNER, MENNUTI); WHA/CAR FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 147/01 E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/06 TAGS: PREL PGOV VE IS MX VT SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR NICHOLSON BEGINS CREDENTIALING PROCESS: MEETING WITH SOSTITUTO SANDRI CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 04659 061704Z ¶1. (C) AMBASSADOR NICHOLSON BEGAN THE VATICAN'S FORMAL CREDENTIALING PROCESS MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 6 BY PRESENTING COPIES OF HIS LETTERS OF CREDENTIAL TO ARCHBISHOP LEONARDO SANDRI, "SUBSTITUTE" FOR VATICAN PM EQUIVALENT SODANO. THE AMBASSADOR WILL HAVE THE FORMAL PRESENTATION TO POPE JOHN PAUL II ON SEPTEMBER 13. SANDRI STRESSED THAT THE VATICAN SEES THE UNITED STATES AS "A FRIENDLY NATION"; ONE IN WHICH THE VALUES OF FREEDOM AND PEACE ARE APPRECIATED. IN ADDITION, THE VATICAN IS NOW LOOKING TOWARD THE UNITED STATES AS A PARTNER IN PROTECTING HUMAN LIFE, AS EUROPE IS GOING IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION ON THE CRUCIAL ISSUES OF ABORTION AND EUTHANASIA. THE ARCHBISHOP SAID THE BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES IS IMPORTANT. HE NOTED THAT THE VISIT OF PRESIDENT BUSH TO THE POPE WAS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED, AS ARE THE VIEWS OF THE PRESIDENT ON AN ISSUE OF IMMENSE IMPORTANCE TO THE VATICAN, THE VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE. AMBASSADOR NICHOLSON TOLD THE ARCHBISHOP THAT HE MET WITH PRESIDENT BUSH BEFORE DEPARTING WASHINGTON, AND THAT THE PRESIDENT SAID HE WAS VERY MOVED BY HIS MEETING WITH THE POPE. ¶2. (C) SANDRI, A FORMER NUNCIO IN VENEZUELA AND MEXICO, TOUCHED UPON CONDITIONS IN THOSE TWO COUNTRIES. HE SAID THAT CHAVEZ IS FIRMLY IN POWER, BUT THAT WHEN THE PEOPLE REALIZE THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN MATERIAL IMPROVEMENT IN THEIR LIVES, HIS POPULARITY SHOULD BEGIN TO WANE. SANDRI ADDED THAT HE RECENTLY MET WITH 1992 FELLOW COUP PLOTTER AND DEFEATED PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE FRANCISCO CARDENAS, WHO SAID CHAVEZ' POPULARITY IS ALREADY SLIPPING. IN MEXICO, PRESIDENT FOX IS HAMPERED IN HIS REFORM EFFORTS BY THE LACK OF A MAJORITY. THE SOSTITUTO CLOSED BY SAYING THE VATICAN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 VATICA 04659 061704Z LOOKS TO THE UNITED STATES FOR LEADERSHIP AND THAT FOREIGN MINISTER TAURAN WILL SOON BE DISCUSSING ISRAEL WITH THE AMBASSADOR. NICHOLSON CONFIDENTIAL > 2001VATICA04659 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL