POPE TELLS ARAFAT TO CONTAIN VIOLENCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 005695 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/WE (DEBORAH MENNUTI) FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 195/00 E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/11 TAGS: VT PREL IS SUBJECT: POPE TELLS ARAFAT TO CONTAIN VIOLENCE CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR R.J. NICHOLSON FOR REASONS 1.5 (A) AND (D). ¶1. (C) DCM AND POLOFF CALLED ON VATICAN DEPUTY FOREIGN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 05695 021715Z MINISTER CELESTINO MIGLIORE, OCTOBER 31. THE PURPOSE OF THE CALL WAS TO DISCUSS ON GOING EMBASSY ANTI-TRAFFICKING PROJECTS (SEPTEL) AND PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY CHAIR YASSAR ARAFAT'S OCTOBER 30 MEETING WITH THE POPE. ¶2. (C) MIGLIORE SAID THAT AT THIS 11TH VISIT WITH THE POPE (HE JOKED ABOUT THE FREQUENCY WHICH ARAFAT COMES TO THE VATICAN),NOTHING NEW WAS DISCUSSED. MIGLIORE DID SAY THAT THE POPE TRIED TO IMPRESS UPON ARAFAT THE NEED FOR HIM PERSONALLY TO CONTROL THE PALESTINIAN MILITANTS AND TO END THE VIOLENCE. MIGLIORE ALSO VOLUNTEERED THE VATICAN VIEW THAT DESPITE SUGGESTIONS ARAFAT IS LOSING HIS GRIP AND CANNOT CONTROL THE MILITANTS, ARAFAT, IN FACT, IS STILL "POWERFUL" AND CAN CONTROL THE MILITANTS "WHEN HE WANTS TO". ¶3. (C) COMMENT: THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE VATICAN HAS STRESSED TO THE MISSION ITS URGING OF THE PALESTINIANS TO END THE VIOLENCE, AS OPPOSED TO ITS SYMPATHY FOR THE SUFFERING OF THE PALESTINIANS IN FACE OF ISRAELI ACTIONS. THIS COULD BE A SUBTLE SHIFT ON THE PART OF THE VATICAN INDICATING A MORE BALANCED VIEW. CORROBORATING THIS SUPPOSITION IS A REPORT GIVEN TO DCM BY HIS ISRAELI COUNTERPART, ZVI TAL (PROTECT). ACCORDING TO TAL, THE PAPAL NUNCIO IN ISRAEL WAS RECENTLY REPRIMANDED BY THE VATICAN FOR TAKING PART IN A PALESTINIAN ORGANIZED PEACE MARCH. NICHOLSON CONFIDENTIAL > 2001VATICA05695 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL