MORE FROM ZUPPI ON UNITA CEASEFIRE

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000126 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI); AF/S E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/09/2007 TAGS: PREL MOPS AN VT SUBJECT: MORE FROM ZUPPI ON UNITA CEASEFIRE REF: A) 01 VATICAN 4030 B) VATICAN 0057 CLASSIFIED BY: POLOFF GEORGE FROWICK, REASON E.O. 12958 1.5 (B,D) CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 00126 091554Z ¶1. (C) SANT'EGIDIO AFRICA EXPERT AND SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR DON MATTEO ZUPPI TOLD CHARGE 01/08 THAT HE HAD SPOKEN AGAIN WITH UNITA ROME REP COSTA ABOUT HIS PROPOSED THREE-MONTH UNITA CEASEFIRE (REFTELS). ZUPPI SAID THAT COSTA HAD CALLED HIM THE PREVIOUS EVENING TO REPORT SAVIMBI'S RESPONSE THAT UNITA WAS NOT CURRENTLY IN A POSITION TO PROPOSE A CEASEFIRE BECAUSE IT WAS UNDER "FAIRLY SERIOUS" ATTACK FROM GOS FORCES. ZUPPI WAS GRATIFIED THAT SAVIMBI HAD NOT REJECTED THE NOTION OUT OF HAND, AND TOLD COSTA HE WAS AVAILABLE TO TALK TO SAVIMBI AT HIS CONVENIENCE (NOTE: ZUPPI SAID HE AND SAVIMBI HAVE EACH OTHER'S CELL/SATELLITE PHONE NUMBERS, BUT ZUPPI NEVER CALLS SAVIMBI DIRECTLY.) ¶2. (C) ZUPPI TOLD US HE SUGGESTED TO COSTA THAT SINCE A CHRISTMAS CEASEFIRE WAS OBE, UNITA SHOULD CONSIDER PROPOSING A CEASEFIRE TO COINCIDE WITH THE POPE'S JANUARY 25, 2002, DAY OF PRAYER FOR PEACE IN ASSISI. (NOTE: THE POPE HAS INVITED ABOUT 300 INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO THIS, THE SECOND DAY OF ECUMENICAL PRAYER FOR PEACE SINCE 1986, IN RESPONSE TO THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS AND THE THREAT TO ECUMENISM FROM A PERCEIVED CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS.) ZUPPI BELIEVES THAT THIS MEETING WILL BE IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO GARNER SUBSTANTIAL INTERNATIONAL PRESS ATTENTION AND THUS WOULD PROVIDE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO UNITA TO OFFER THE GOS AND THE WORLD A STRONG SIGNAL OF ITS SERIOUSNESS AT OPENING A SEARCH FOR PEACE. ZUPPI ALSO CLARIFIED THAT IN HIS TALKS WITH SAVIMBI AND COSTA, THEY HAD ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE LUSAKA PROCESS WAS MORIBUND BUT NOT YET DEAD AND THAT ANY UNITA/GOS TALKS WOULD HAVE TO PICK UP WHERE THE LAST LUSAKA DISCUSSIONS LEFT OFF. MERANTE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 VATICA 00126 091554Z CONFIDENTIAL > 2002VATICA00126 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL