THE VATICAN'S ""OTHER"" INTERESTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 001171 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D COPY (SIGNATURE LINE CHANGE) DEPT FOR EUR/WE (D.MENUTTI) E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2012 TAGS: EG IS IT JO LE PREL SA SY IS IT JO LE PREL SA SY IS IT JO LE PREL SA SY IS IT JO LE PREL SA SY VT VTEG VTEG VTEG SUBJECT: THE VATICAN'S ""OTHER"" INTERESTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON FOR REASONS 1.5 (A) AND (D). 1.(C) SUMMARY: THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE VATICAN'S INTEREST IN THE MIDDLE EAST, OUTSIDE OF THE ISRAEL/PALESTINIAN DISPUTE AND THE STATUS OF JERUSALEM. DCM RECENTLY MET WITH NEW VATICAN MIDDLE EAST DIRECTOR, TOMASSO COPPOLA, MONSIGNOR CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 01171 01 OF 02 061557Z JOHAN BONNY, A CHIEF NEGOTIATOR IN THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY, AND MEMBERS OF THE ARAB DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITY ACCREDITED TO THE VATICAN. THE VATICAN'S FOREIGN POLICY IS GENERALLY FOUNDED ON ""DEFENDING THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON"", AND IS THUS LARGELY CONGRUENT WITH USG INTERESTS. IN THE MIDDLE EAST, HOWEVER, IT HAS A NUMBER OF PARTICULAR INTERESTS, SOME WHERE WE CAN EXPECT TO AGREE, OTHERS WHERE OUR INTERESTS ARE STARKLY OPPOSITE. THE VATICAN'S INTERESTS IN THIS REGION ARISE FROM AN INDIGENOUS CONSTITUENCY (E.G. CHALDEANS IN IRAQ) AS WELL AS DIALOG WITH THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST AND THE ORIENTAL ORTHODOX CHURCHES OF THE REGION (EG. THE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH). COUNTRIES OF INTEREST ARE MOST NOTABLY LEBANON, IRAQ, SYRIA AND TO A LESSER DEGREE JORDAN AND EGYPT. THE LACK OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR THE FOREIGN CATHOLICS (MOSTLY FILIPINO GUEST WORKERS) IN SAUDI ARABIA WILL REMAIN AN ISSUE OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE FOR THE VATICAN. FROM A STRICTLY GEOPOLITICAL PERSPECTIVE THE VATICAN WILL ALSO STRIVE TO HAVE GOOD RELATIONS WITH IRAN. END SUMMARY 2.(C) CONCERN FOR CATHOLIC MINORITIES AS WITH ANY NATION-STATE, THE VATICAN STRIVES TO PROTECT ITS ""CITIZENS"" OVERSEAS. FOR THE VATICAN, THIS CITIZEN-CONSTITUENCY IS COMPOSED OF CATHOLICS. IN THE MIDDLE EAST THE COUNTRY OF PRIME CONCERN IN THIS REGARD IS LEBANON. ACCORDING TO VATICAN ISSUED FIGURES, THERE ARE 1.9 MILLION CATHOLICS IN LEBANON, 311,000 CATHOLICS IN SYRIA, AND 277,000 CATHOLICS IN IRAQ. THE VATICAN DOES NOT CONSIDER LEBANON A MUSLIM COUNTRY WITH A CATHOLIC MINORITY, BUT A COUNTRY IN WHICH CATHOLICS ARE EQUAL PARTNERS. IT SEES LEBANON AS A CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 VATICA 01171 01 OF 02 061557Z COUNTRY WHICH SHOULD SERVE AS AN EXAMPLE FOR CHRISTIAN/ISLAMIC COEXISTENCE. FOREIGN MINISTER TAURAN, AS WELL AS MIDDLE EAST DIRECTOR COPPOLA HAVE BOTH SERVED IN LEBANON, AND ARE PERSONALLY INTERESTED IN THE LEBANESE SITUATION. ALTHOUGH, ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL VATICAN FIGURES, THERE ARE MORE CATHOLICS IN SYRIA THAN IRAQ, THE VATICAN IS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE CHALDEAN CATHOLICS IN IRAQ THAN WITH THAT OF THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITIES IN SYRIA. THIS IS BECAUSE THE VATICAN SEES THE LIKELIHOOD OF AN ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST REGIME COMING TO POWER AS HIGHER IN IRAQ THAN IN SYRIA. THERE IS ALSO A SMALL CATHOLIC MINORITY IN JORDAN (72,000 ACCORDING TO VATICAN FIGURES) COMPOSED OF ETHNIC PALESTINIANS. 3.(C) DIALOG WITH THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST AND THE ORIENTAL ORTHODOX CHURCHES THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST WAS THE FIRST MAJOR CHRISTIAN BODY TO FALL OUT ON COMMUNION WITH ROME. THIS OCCURRED IN THE 5TH CENTURY OVER THEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES. ITS SEAT WAS MOVED FROM PERSIA TO BAGHDAD IN 766 WHERE IT HAS REMAINED. IN 1553 A GROUP FROM WITHIN THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH REENTERED COMMUNION WITH ROME, WHICH WAS THE START OF THE CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. THE VATICAN IS CLOSER TO ""REUNIFICATION"" WITH THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST THAN WITH ANY OTHER BODY OF EASTERN CHURCHES. IN 1994, POPE JOHN PAUL II AND THE ASSYRIAN PATRIARCH SIGNED A DECLARATION WHICH BASICALLY ENDED ALL THEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES. DIALOG CONTINUES FOR FULL REUNIFICATION. THUS, IN ADDITION TO PROTECTING THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY OF IRAQ, THE VATICAN NEEDS GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 VATICA 01171 01 OF 02 061557Z IRAQI GOVERNMENT FOR AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE ""OFFICIAL"" IRAQI CHRISTIAN CHURCH CAN CONTINUE. THE ORIENTAL ORTHODOX COMMUNITY IS COMPOSED OF SIX INDEPENDENT NATIONAL CHURCHES WHICH ARE IN COMMUNION WITH EACH OTHER, BUT NOT WITH THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST, THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, OR THE ORTHODOX CHURCHES (E.G. GREEK, RUSSIAN, ETC). THIS BODY BROKE WITH THE MAIN BODY OF THE CHURCH (AT THAT TIME LOCATED IN ROME AND CONSTANTINOPLE) IN THE FIFTH CENTURY, APPROXIMATELY 30 YEARS AFTER THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH'S BREAK. THIS ORIENTAL ORTHODOX COMMUNITY IS COMPOSED OF THE ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH, THE COPTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH (EGYPT),THE ETHIOPIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, THE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, THE MALANKARA ORTHODOX SYRIAN CHURCH (INDIA),AND THE ERITREAN ORTHODOX CHURCH. THE VATICAN'S DIALOG WITH THIS COMMUNITY IS NOT AS FAR ALONG AS WITH THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH, CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ9479 PAGE 01 VATICA 01171 02 OF 02 061557Z ACTION EUR-00 INFO LOG-00 COR-01 NP-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 VCE-00 NEA-00 NSAE-00 SSO-00 SS-00 T-00 EPAE-00 SNIS-00 NISC-00 DSCC-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /001W -------------- 705EC5 061557Z /38 O 061335Z MAR 02 ZDS FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE INFO AMEMBASSY AMMAN AMEMBASSY BEIRUT AMEMBASSY CAIRO AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS AMEMBASSY RIYADH AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 001171 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D COPY (SIGNATURE LINE CHANGE) DEPT FOR EUR/WE (D.MENUTTI) E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2012 TAGS: EG IS IT JO LE PREL SA SY IS IT JO LE PREL SA SY IS IT JO LE PREL SA SY IS IT JO LE PREL SA SY VT VTEG VTEG VTEG SUBJECT: THE VATICAN'S ""OTHER"" INTERESTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST BUT MUCH FURTHER ALONG THAN WITH THE ORTHODOX CHURCH. THAT SAID, THE VATICAN HAS TO TREAD CAREFULLY IN THIS AREA. AFTER SEVERAL JOINT DECLARATIONS WITH THE ARMENIAN CHURCH, COPTIC POPE SHENOUDA III OF EGYPT DECLARED THAT DIALOG WITH THE VATICAN MUST BE DONE ON A FULL COMMUNITY BASIS, AND NOT BY INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL MEMBERS. THUS, THE VATICAN NOW HAS TO BE MORE SENSITIVE TO THE DESIRES OF THE EGYPTIAN COPTIC COMMUNITY AND THE SYRIAN ORTODOX CHURCH IF IT WANTS PROGRESS CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 01171 02 OF 02 061557Z IN THE OVERALL DIALOG. 4.(C) WHAT ARE THE VATICAN'S INTERESTS AND WHAT SHOULD THE U.S. EXPECT -- LEBANON: THE VATICAN WANTS TO MAINTAIN A STRONG CHRISTIAN PRESENCE IN A UNIFIED, INDEPENDENT LEBANON. IT WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR THE REMOVAL OF ALL FOREIGN TROOPS (I.E. SYRIAN) AND REINTEGRATION OF THE SOUTH INTO THE COUNTRY. WE SHOULD EXPECT THE VATICAN TO CONTINUE TO ASK THE UNITED STATES TO HAVE STRONGER, BETTER CONTACTS WITH MARONITE PATRIARCH SAFIR. WE SHOULD ALSO EXPECT THE VATICAN TO EXPRESS CONCERN OVER WHAT THEY SEE AS RETALIATION AGAINST THE CHRISTIANS IN SOUTHERN LEBANON WHO HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF COLLABORATING WITH THE ISRAELIS. IRAQ: IRAQ WILL REMAIN A BONE OF CONTENTION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND VATICAN. WE SHOULD EXPECT THE VATICAN TO STRONGLY CONDEMN THE CONTINUED EMBARGO AS ""HARMFUL"" TO THE IRAQI POPULATION. IN ITS EYES, THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE TO SADDAM HUSSEIN EXCEPT AN ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST REGIME. THUS FOR REASONS OF PROTECTING THE CATHOLICS IN IRAQ, AS WELL AS CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT FOR SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST, THE VATICAN WILL BE AMONG THE LEAST VOCAL INTERNATIONAL CRITICS OF THE CURRENT REGIME. WE SHOULD EXPECT VOCAL, PUBLIC CRITICISM OF ANY MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAQ. SYRIA: BECAUSE DAMASCUS IS THE SEAT OF THE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, AND ON ACCOUNT OF THE PRESENCE OF A LARGE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY, THE VATICAN IS CONTINUE TO SEEK CORRECT, GOOD CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 VATICA 01171 02 OF 02 061557Z RELATIONS WITH SYRIA. AS IT DOES NOT FEAR A FUNDAMENTALIST TAKE OVER, IT CAN BE EXPECTED TO BE LESS SENSITIVE TO CRITICISM OF SYRIAN POLICY THAN TO IRAQI POLICY. THAT SAID, VATICAN FRUSTRATION OVER THE OVERT ANTI-SEMITIC REMARKS OF PRESIDENT ASSAD DURING THE POPE'S APRIL, 2001 VISIT TO SYRIA HAVE SUBSIDED. IN FACT, THE POPE RECENTLY SUSPENDED HIS LENTEN RETREAT (WHICH IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL) TO MEET ASSAD DURING THE SYRIAN PRESIDENT'S VISIT TO ROME; IRAN: THE NUMBER OF CATHOLICS IS MINUSCULE (12,000 BY VATICAN ESTIMATES). HOWEVER, THE VATICAN SEES IRAN AS A PARTNER IN CATHOLIC/ISLAMIC DIALOG. IT WILL THEREFORE STRIVE TO HAVE PROPER RELATIONS WITH THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN; SAUDI ARABIA: THERE ARE OVER 1 MILLION FOREIGN CATHOLICS IN SAUDI ARABIA. THE VATICAN WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE THEIR RIGHT TO PRACTICE CATHOLICISM AN INTERNATIONAL ISSUE. WE SHOULD EXPECT THIS TO BE RAISED AT ANY MEETING BETWEEN A HIGH-LEVEL U.S. GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL AND FOREIGN MINISTER TAURAN OR PRIME MINISTER SODANO. NICHOLSON CONFIDENTIAL > @@@OASYS@@@ CONFIDENTIAL PTQ8924 PAGE 01 VATICA 01171 01 OF 02 061421Z ACTION EUR-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 VCE-00 NEA-00 NSAE-00 SSO-00 SS-00 EPAE-00 SNIS-00 NISC-00 DSCC-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /000W -------------- 704D53 061421Z /38 O 061335Z MAR 02 FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE INFO AMEMBASSY AMMAN AMEMBASSY BEIRUT AMEMBASSY CAIRO AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS AMEMBASSY RIYADH AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 001171 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/WE (D.MENUTTI) E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2012 TAGS: EG IS IT JO LE PREL SA SY IS IT JO LE PREL SA SY IS IT JO LE PREL SA SY IS IT JO LE PREL SA SY VT VTEG VTEG VTEG SUBJECT: THE VATICAN'S ""OTHER"" INTERESTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON FOR REASONS 1.5 (A) AND (D). 1.(C) SUMMARY: THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE VATICAN'S INTEREST IN THE MIDDLE EAST, OUTSIDE OF THE ISRAEL/PALESTINIAN DISPUTE AND THE STATUS OF JERUSALEM. DCM RECENTLY MET WITH NEW VATICAN MIDDLE EAST DIRECTOR, TOMASSO COPPOLA, MONSIGNOR JOHAN BONNY, A CHIEF NEGOTIATOR IN THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY, AND MEMBERS OF THE ARAB DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITY CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 01171 01 OF 02 061421Z ACCREDITED TO THE VATICAN. THE VATICAN'S FOREIGN POLICY IS GENERALLY FOUNDED ON ""DEFENDING THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON"", AND IS THUS LARGELY CONGRUENT WITH USG INTERESTS. IN THE MIDDLE EAST, HOWEVER, IT HAS A NUMBER OF PARTICULAR INTERESTS, SOME WHERE WE CAN EXPECT TO AGREE, OTHERS WHERE OUR INTERESTS ARE STARKLY OPPOSITE. THE VATICAN'S INTERESTS IN THIS REGION ARISE FROM AN INDIGENOUS CONSTITUENCY (E.G. CHALDEANS IN IRAQ) AS WELL AS DIALOG WITH THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST AND THE ORIENTAL ORTHODOX CHURCHES OF THE REGION (EG. THE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH). COUNTRIES OF INTEREST ARE MOST NOTABLY LEBANON, IRAQ, SYRIA AND TO A LESSER DEGREE JORDAN AND EGYPT. THE LACK OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR THE FOREIGN CATHOLICS (MOSTLY FILIPINO GUEST WORKERS) IN SAUDI ARABIA WILL REMAIN AN ISSUE OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE FOR THE VATICAN. FROM A STRICTLY GEOPOLITICAL PERSPECTIVE THE VATICAN WILL ALSO STRIVE TO HAVE GOOD RELATIONS WITH IRAN. END SUMMARY 2.(C) CONCERN FOR CATHOLIC MINORITIES AS WITH ANY NATION-STATE, THE VATICAN STRIVES TO PROTECT ITS ""CITIZENS"" OVERSEAS. FOR THE VATICAN, THIS CITIZEN-CONSTITUENCY IS COMPOSED OF CATHOLICS. IN THE MIDDLE EAST THE COUNTRY OF PRIME CONCERN IN THIS REGARD IS LEBANON. ACCORDING TO VATICAN ISSUED FIGURES, THERE ARE 1.9 MILLION CATHOLICS IN LEBANON, 311,000 CATHOLICS IN SYRIA, AND 277,000 CATHOLICS IN IRAQ. THE VATICAN DOES NOT CONSIDER LEBANON A MUSLIM COUNTRY WITH A CATHOLIC MINORITY, BUT A COUNTRY IN WHICH CATHOLICS ARE EQUAL PARTNERS. IT SEES LEBANON AS A COUNTRY WHICH SHOULD SERVE AS AN EXAMPLE FOR CHRISTIAN/ISLAMIC COEXISTENCE. FOREIGN MINISTER TAURAN, AS CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 VATICA 01171 01 OF 02 061421Z WELL AS MIDDLE EAST DIRECTOR COPPOLA HAVE BOTH SERVED IN LEBANON, AND ARE PERSONALLY INTERESTED IN THE LEBANESE SITUATION. ALTHOUGH, ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL VATICAN FIGURES, THERE ARE MORE CATHOLICS IN SYRIA THAN IRAQ, THE VATICAN IS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE CHALDEAN CATHOLICS IN IRAQ THAN WITH THAT OF THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITIES IN SYRIA. THIS IS BECAUSE THE VATICAN SEES THE LIKELIHOOD OF AN ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST REGIME COMING TO POWER AS HIGHER IN IRAQ THAN IN SYRIA. THERE IS ALSO A SMALL CATHOLIC MINORITY IN JORDAN (72,000 ACCORDING TO VATICAN FIGURES) COMPOSED OF ETHNIC PALESTINIANS. 3.(C) DIALOG WITH THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST AND THE ORIENTAL ORTHODOX CHURCHES THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST WAS THE FIRST MAJOR CHRISTIAN BODY TO FALL OUT ON COMMUNION WITH ROME. THIS OCCURRED IN THE 5TH CENTURY OVER THEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES. ITS SEAT WAS MOVED FROM PERSIA TO BAGHDAD IN 766 WHERE IT HAS REMAINED. IN 1553 A GROUP FROM WITHIN THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH REENTERED COMMUNION WITH ROME, WHICH WAS THE START OF THE CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. THE VATICAN IS CLOSER TO ""REUNIFICATION"" WITH THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST THAN WITH ANY OTHER BODY OF EASTERN CHURCHES. IN 1994, POPE JOHN PAUL II AND THE ASSYRIAN PATRIARCH SIGNED A DECLARATION WHICH BASICALLY ENDED ALL THEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES. DIALOG CONTINUES FOR FULL REUNIFICATION. THUS, IN ADDITION TO PROTECTING THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY OF IRAQ, THE VATICAN NEEDS GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT FOR AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE ""OFFICIAL"" IRAQI CHRISTIAN CHURCH CAN CONTINUE. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 VATICA 01171 01 OF 02 061421Z THE ORIENTAL ORTHODOX COMMUNITY IS COMPOSED OF SIX INDEPENDENT NATIONAL CHURCHES WHICH ARE IN COMMUNION WITH EACH OTHER, BUT NOT WITH THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST, THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, OR THE ORTHODOX CHURCHES (E.G. GREEK, RUSSIAN, ETC). THIS BODY BROKE WITH THE MAIN BODY OF THE CHURCH (AT THAT TIME LOCATED IN ROME AND CONSTANTINOPLE) IN THE FIFTH CENTURY, APPROXIMATELY 30 YEARS AFTER THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH'S BREAK. THIS ORIENTAL ORTHODOX COMMUNITY IS COMPOSED OF THE ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH, THE COPTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH (EGYPT),THE ETHIOPIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, THE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, THE MALANKARA ORTHODOX SYRIAN CHURCH (INDIA),AND THE ERITREAN ORTHODOX CHURCH. THE VATICAN'S DIALOG WITH THIS COMMUNITY IS NOT AS FAR ALONG AS WITH THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH, CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ8925 PAGE 01 VATICA 01171 02 OF 02 061421Z ACTION EUR-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 VCE-00 NEA-00 NSAE-00 SSO-00 SS-00 EPAE-00 SNIS-00 NISC-00 DSCC-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /000W -------------- 704D59 061421Z /38 O 061335Z MAR 02 FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE INFO AMEMBASSY AMMAN AMEMBASSY BEIRUT AMEMBASSY CAIRO AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS AMEMBASSY RIYADH AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 001171 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/WE (D.MENUTTI) E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2012 TAGS: EG IS IT JO LE PREL SA SY IS IT JO LE PREL SA SY IS IT JO LE PREL SA SY IS IT JO LE PREL SA SY VT VTEG VTEG VTEG SUBJECT: THE VATICAN'S ""OTHER"" INTERESTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST BUT MUCH FURTHER ALONG THAN WITH THE ORTHODOX CHURCH. THAT SAID, THE VATICAN HAS TO TREAD CAREFULLY IN THIS AREA. AFTER SEVERAL JOINT DECLARATIONS WITH THE ARMENIAN CHURCH, COPTIC POPE SHENOUDA III OF EGYPT DECLARED THAT DIALOG WITH THE VATICAN MUST BE DONE ON A FULL COMMUNITY BASIS, AND NOT BY INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL MEMBERS. THUS, THE VATICAN NOW HAS TO BE MORE SENSITIVE TO THE DESIRES OF THE EGYPTIAN COPTIC COMMUNITY AND THE SYRIAN ORTODOX CHURCH IF IT WANTS PROGRESS IN THE OVERALL DIALOG. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 01171 02 OF 02 061421Z 4.(C) WHAT ARE THE VATICAN'S INTERESTS AND WHAT SHOULD THE U.S. EXPECT -- LEBANON: THE VATICAN WANTS TO MAINTAIN A STRONG CHRISTIAN PRESENCE IN A UNIFIED, INDEPENDENT LEBANON. IT WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR THE REMOVAL OF ALL FOREIGN TROOPS (I.E. SYRIAN) AND REINTEGRATION OF THE SOUTH INTO THE COUNTRY. WE SHOULD EXPECT THE VATICAN TO CONTINUE TO ASK THE UNITED STATES TO HAVE STRONGER, BETTER CONTACTS WITH MARONITE PATRIARCH SAFIR. WE SHOULD ALSO EXPECT THE VATICAN TO EXPRESS CONCERN OVER WHAT THEY SEE AS RETALIATION AGAINST THE CHRISTIANS IN SOUTHERN LEBANON WHO HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF COLLABORATING WITH THE ISRAELIS. IRAQ: IRAQ WILL REMAIN A BONE OF CONTENTION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND VATICAN. WE SHOULD EXPECT THE VATICAN TO STRONGLY CONDEMN THE CONTINUED EMBARGO AS ""HARMFUL"" TO THE IRAQI POPULATION. IN ITS EYES, THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE TO SADDAM HUSSEIN EXCEPT AN ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST REGIME. THUS FOR REASONS OF PROTECTING THE CATHOLICS IN IRAQ, AS WELL AS CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT FOR SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST, THE VATICAN WILL BE AMONG THE LEAST VOCAL INTERNATIONAL CRITICS OF THE CURRENT REGIME. WE SHOULD EXPECT VOCAL, PUBLIC CRITICISM OF ANY MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAQ. SYRIA: BECAUSE DAMASCUS IS THE SEAT OF THE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, AND ON ACCOUNT OF THE PRESENCE OF A LARGE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY, THE VATICAN IS CONTINUE TO SEEK CORRECT, GOOD RELATIONS WITH SYRIA. AS IT DOES NOT FEAR A FUNDAMENTALIST TAKE OVER, IT CAN BE EXPECTED TO BE LESS SENSITIVE TO CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 VATICA 01171 02 OF 02 061421Z CRITICISM OF SYRIAN POLICY THAN TO IRAQI POLICY. THAT SAID, VATICAN FRUSTRATION OVER THE OVERT ANTI-SEMITIC REMARKS OF PRESIDENT ASSAD DURING THE POPE'S APRIL, 2001 VISIT TO SYRIA HAVE SUBSIDED. IN FACT, THE POPE RECENTLY SUSPENDED HIS LENTEN RETREAT (WHICH IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL) TO MEET ASSAD DURING THE SYRIAN PRESIDENT'S VISIT TO ROME; IRAN: THE NUMBER OF CATHOLICS IS MINUSCULE (12,000 BY VATICAN ESTIMATES). HOWEVER, THE VATICAN SEES IRAN AS A PARTNER IN CATHOLIC/ISLAMIC DIALOG. IT WILL THEREFORE STRIVE TO HAVE PROPER RELATIONS WITH THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN; SAUDI ARABIA: THERE ARE OVER 1 MILLION FOREIGN CATHOLICS IN SAUDI ARABIA. THE VATICAN WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE THEIR RIGHT TO PRACTICE CATHOLICISM AN INTERNATIONAL ISSUE. WE SHOULD EXPECT THIS TO BE RAISED AT ANY MEETING BETWEEN A HIGH-LEVEL U.S. GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL AND FOREIGN MINISTER TAURAN OR PRIME MINISTER SODANO. NICHOLSON POPE CONFIDENTIAL > 2002VATICA01171 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL "