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
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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

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2001VATICA04659 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL