ANDORRA TO OPEN EMBASSY TO THE VATICAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 001176 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D COPY (SIGNATURE LINE CHANGE) DEPT FOR EUR/WE (D.MENUTTI) E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/05/2012 TAGS: IS IT PREL SP IT PREL SP VT VTIS SUBJECT: ANDORRA TO OPEN EMBASSY TO THE VATICAN CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON FOR REASONS 1.5 (A) AND (D), 1.(C) ANDORRAN FOREIGN MINISTER JOLI MINOVES INVITED DCM TO LUNCH FRIDAY, MARCH 1. MINOVES SAID EARLIER THAT DAY HE HAD MET WITH BOTH VATICAN FOREIGN MINISTER TAURAN AND PRIME MINISTER SODANO. MINOVES SAID THAT THE ONLY OUTSTANDING BILATERAL ISSUE, THE SUCCESSION OF THE ARCHBISHOP OF URGELL AND THUS THE CO-PRINCE OF ANDORRA, WAS RESOLVED WITH THE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 01176 061554Z APPOINTMENT OF BISHOP VIVES SICILIA AS COADJUTOR WITH RIGHT OF SUCCESSION. 2.(C) MINOVES VOLUNTEERED THAT ANDORRA PLANNED TO OPEN AN EMBASSY TO THE VATICAN (AND CO-LOCATE IT WITH ONE TO ROME) WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR. THIS WILL BE ANDORRA'S EIGHTH (AND NINTH) OVERSEAS EMBASSY. NICHOLSON CONFIDENTIAL > @@@OASYS@@@ CONFIDENTIAL PTO4926 PAGE 01 VATICA 01176 061428Z ACTION EUR-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 NEA-00 NSAE-00 SSO-00 SS-00 SNIS-00 NISC-00 DSCC-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /000W -------------- 704EBA 061428Z /38 O 061354Z MAR 02 FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE INFO AMEMBASSY MADRID AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV AMCONSUL BARCELONA C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 001176 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/WE (D.MENUTTI) E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/05/2012 TAGS: IS IT PREL SP IT PREL SP VT VTIS SUBJECT: ANDORRA TO OPEN EMBASSY TO THE VATICAN CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON FOR REASONS 1.5 (A) AND (D), 1.(C) ANDORRAN FOREIGN MINISTER JOLI MINOVES INVITED DCM TO LUNCH FRIDAY, MARCH 1. MINOVES SAID EARLIER THAT DAY HE HAD MET WITH BOTH VATICAN FOREIGN MINISTER TAURAN AND PRIME MINISTER SODANO. MINOVES SAID THAT THE ONLY OUTSTANDING BILATERAL ISSUE, THE SUCCESSION OF THE ARCHBISHOP OF URGELL AND THUS THE CO-PRINCE OF ANDORRA, WAS RESOLVED WITH THE APPOINTMENT OF BISHOP VIVES SICILIA AS COADJUTOR WITH RIGHT OF SUCCESSION. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 01176 061428Z 2.(C) MINOVES VOLUNTEERED THAT ANDORRA PLANNED TO OPEN AN EMBASSY TO THE VATICAN (AND CO-LOCATE IT WITH ONE TO ROME) WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR. THIS WILL BE ANDORRA'S EIGHTH (AND NINTH) OVERSEAS EMBASSY. NICHOLSON POPE CONFIDENTIAL > 2002VATICA01176 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL