SECRETARY POWELL'S MEETING WITH VATICAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 006098

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI); S (CRAIG KELLY)

EMBASSY VATICAN MESSAGE NO. 208/001

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/11
TAGS: PREL RM RM VT VTPREL
SUBJECT: SECRETARY POWELL'S MEETING WITH VATICAN


CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 VATICA 06098 01 OF 02 271624Z

FOREIGN MINISTER

REF: A) VATICAN 5999; REF B) VATICAN 5695

CLASSIFIED BY AMB. JAMES NICHOLSON FOR REASONS 1.5 (B)
AND (D).


1. (C) SECRETARY TAURAN IS TRAVELLING TO BUCHAREST
SPECIFICALLY TO MEET WITH THE SECRETARY. HE TOLD
AMBASSADOR NICHOLSON ON NOVEMBER 20(REF A) THAT THE
POPE HAD INSTRUCTED HIM TO MEET THE SECRETARY AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THE FOREIGN MINISTER SAID THAT
THE TWO TOPICS THAT THE POPE ASKED HIM TO RAISE WITH
THE SECRETARY ARE THE CURRENT SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN
AND THE MIDDLE EAST.


2. (C) AFGHANISTAN: VATICAN CONCERNS AT THE U.S.-LED
AFGHANISTAN CAMPAIGN BOIL DOWN TO FEARS OF AN
UNCONTROLLED HUMANITARIAN CRISIS, DISTRUST OF THE
PAKISTAN GOVERNMENT, AND A JUDGMENT THAT IRAQ SHOULD
NOT BE THE TARGET OF ANY EXTENSION OF THE CONFLICT.
WORRIES OF A HUMANITARIAN MELTDOWN TRIGGERED A NUMBER
OF PUBLIC STATEMENTS FROM THE POPE, NONE OF WHICH
CRITICIZED OF THE WAR EFFORT. INDEED, THE POPE
RESERVED THE HARSHEST CRITICISM THAT WE'VE EVER SEEN
FROM HIM FOR THE PERPETRATORS OF THIS "INHUMAN ATTACK
OF SEPTEMBER 11." FM TAURAN HIMSELF SUPPORTED THE
U.S.' RIGHT TO SELF DEFENSE (A KEY COMPONENT, ALONG
WITH PROPORTIONALITY OF RESPONSE, OF THE VATICAN'S
THEORY OF JUST WAR) IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE FRENCH
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MAGAZINE LA CROIX. VATICAN FM EQUIVALENT CARDINAL
SODANO EXPRESSED NOVEMBER 19 HIS HOPE THAT THE FALL OF
THE TALIBAN WOULD "LEAD TO THE FORMATION OF A
DEMOCRATIC STATE, RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, FREEDOM
AND ESPECIALLY RELIGIOUS LIBERTY." HE ALSO DEBUNKED
THE NOTION THAT THE AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT IS
THREATENING INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE.


3. (C) CARITAS, A VATICAN AID ARM, HIGHLIGHTED THE
VATICAN'S CONCERN BY LAUNCHING A WORLDWIDE APPEAL FOR
HUMANITARIAN RELIEF FOR AFGHANISTAN ON 10/25,
INITIALLY SEEKING USD 11 MILLION. ABOUT THE SAME
TIME, THE VATICAN DFM CONVEYED THAT SHOULD THE
CONFLICT DRAG ON AND THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS THUS
WORSEN, THE VATICAN WOULD FIND IT HARD TO REFRAIN FROM
TAKING A MORE CRITICAL STANCE TOWARD THE CAMPAIGN.
VATICAN WORRIES HAVE LESSENED SOMEWHAT FOLLOWING ANTI-
TALIBAN TERRITORIAL GAINS, WHICH THE VATICAN HOPES
FAVOR THE RESUMPTION, INCREASE, AND MORE EFFICIENT
DISTRIBUTION OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE. AFGHANISTAN
AND THE VATICAN SHARE NO HISTORICAL RELATIONSHIP AND
CHRISTIANS IN AFGHANISTAN ARE FEW IN NUMBER, THESE
BEING THE FACTORS THAT COMMONLY DRIVE VATICAN
BILATERAL FOREIGN POLICY. STILL, THE VATICAN EXPRESSES
CONCERN THAT THE CONFLICT COULD UNDERMINE THE
STABILITY OF PAKISTAN, THUS WORSENING THE DIFFICULT
SITUATION OF THAT NATION'S ONE MILLION CATHOLICS. THE
VATICAN MFA MOREOVER DOUBTS THE STEADINESS AND
TRUSTWORTHINESS OF GENERAL MUSHARRAF, REPROACHED FOR A
FAILURE TO PROTECT CHRISTIAN MINORITIES AND FOR
FOMENTING VIOLENCE IN KASHMIR. LASTLY, THE VATICAN
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PAGE 04 VATICA 06098 01 OF 02 271624Z
MFA HAS INDICATED -- QUIETLY THUS FAR -- THAT IT WOULD
VIEW POORLY AN EXTENSION OF THE WAR INTO IRAQ (WHERE
MANY MORE CHALCEDONIAN CHRISTIANS ENJOY RELATIVE --
FOR AN ISLAMIC COUNTRY -- FREEDOM UNDER THE BAATHIST
REGIME). INDEED, THE DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITY WILL BE
LISTENING ATTENTIVELY SHOULD THE POPE PUBLICLY DECLARE
THAT IRAQ MUST REMAIN OFF-LIMITS.


4. (C) THE MIDDLE EAST: THE VATICAN WISHES TO CLARIFY
ITS POSITION ON THE MIDDLE EAST. IT IS A POSITION
THAT HAS EVOLVED SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE LAST THREE
YEARS. FOR MANY YEARS, THE VATICAN CALLED FOR THE
"INTERNATIONALIZATION" OF JERUSALEM. IN THE LATE 90'S
THIS POSITION CHANGED TO THE "INTERNATIONALIZATION" OF
JERUSALEM "INTRAMURA" (WITHIN THE WALLS). FOR
APPROXIMATELY A YEAR NOW, THE VATICAN HAS REFORMULATED
ITS POSITION. IT HAS DROPPED THE CALL FOR
INTERNATIONALIZATION. IT IS NOW ASKING THAT THE
SHRINES OF THE THREE RELIGIONS PRESERVE THEIR UNIQUE
AND SACRED CHARACTER THROUGH "INTERNATIONAL
GUARANTEES", IN SUCH A WAY THAT IN THE FUTURE "NONE OF
THE PARTIES WILL BE ABLE TO CLAIM FOR ITSELF EXCLUSIVE
CONTROL OF THESE SACRED PARTS OF THE CITY". POLITICAL
SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE CITY WOULD BE A MATTER FOR THE
ISRAELIS AND THE PALESTINIANS TO NEGOTIATE. THE POPE
HAS PUBLICLY CALLED FOR BOTH/BOTH SIDES TO STOP THE
SPIRAL OF VIOLENCE. ANOTHER INDICATION THAT THE
VATICAN IS ATTEMPTING TO PLAY A CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE IN
THE PEACE PROCESS IS THE OCTOBER 30 MEETING BETWEEN
POPE JOHN PAUL AND CHAIRMAN ARAFAT. AT THAT MEETING
(REF B),THE POPE STRONGLY URGED ARAFAT TO PERSONALLY
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CONFIDENTIAL PTQ6640

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ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00
DS-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 LAB-01 VCE-00
NSAE-00 SSO-00 SS-00 SNIS-00 NISC-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02
SAS-00 /003W
-------------- 43E0ED 272144Z /38
O 271603Z NOV 01
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO SECSTATE/WASHDC/IMMEDIATE 6098
INFO AMEMBASSY ROME

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 006098

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI); S (CRAIG KELLY)

EMBASSY VATICAN MESSAGE NO. 208/001

E.O. 12958: DECL:11/27/11
TAGS: PREL RM RM VT VTPREL
SUBJECT: SECRETARY POWELL'S MEETING WITH VATICAN

FOREIGN MINISTER
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 VATICA 06098 02 OF 02 271624Z

CONTROL THE PALESTINIAN VIOLENCE.
NICHOLSON

CONFIDENTIAL

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2001VATICA06098 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL