Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02VATICAN2238
2002-05-08 14:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Vatican
Cable title:  

BIWEEKLY ACTIVITIES REPORT FOR APRIL 16-30, 2002

Tags:  PREL PGOV PHUM KWMN EAID VT EAGER VTPREL 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 002238 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR (BRADTKE),EUR/WE (MENNUTI)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KWMN EAID PGOV PHUM KWMN EAID VT EAGER VTPREL EAGER
SUBJECT: BIWEEKLY ACTIVITIES REPORT FOR APRIL 16-30, 2002


CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR NICHOLSON, REASON E.O. 12958 1.5 (B),(D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 002238

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR (BRADTKE),EUR/WE (MENNUTI)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KWMN EAID PGOV PHUM KWMN EAID VT EAGER VTPREL EAGER
SUBJECT: BIWEEKLY ACTIVITIES REPORT FOR APRIL 16-30, 2002


CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR NICHOLSON, REASON E.O. 12958 1.5 (B),(D).


1. (C) THIS CABLE REPORTS ON EMBASSY VATICAN'S ACTIVITIES
FOR THE PERIOD APRIL 16-30, 2002. IT IS INTENDED TO
SUMMARIZE, BUT NOT EXHAUSTIVELY REPORT, OUR ACTIVITIES DURING
THE PERIOD. COVERED IN THIS CABLE ARE:

-- AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH PRESIDENTIAL PRE-ADVANCE
-- AMBASSADOR/FM TAURAN ON VENEZUELA
-- ANTI-TRAFFICKING CONFERENCE PROGRESS
-- A/S JONES VISITS EMBASSY
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 VATICA 02238 01 OF 02 081435Z
-- AMBASSADOR CALLS ON MILAN CARDINAL MARTINI
-- AMBASSADOR'S PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
-- DCM ACTIVITIES
-- POLITICAL SECTION
-- REPORTING: MIDDLE EAST, VENEZUELA, UNGASS.


2. (SBU) AMBASSADOR HOSTED WHITE HOUSE PRE-ADVANCE FOR
DISCUSSION OF PRESIDENT'S LATE MAY NATO SUMMIT VISIT TO A
BASE SEVERAL MILES OUTSIDE OF ROME. IT WAS NOTED THAT THERE
WAS NO PLAN FOR A BILAT IN VATICAN CITY WITH THE POPE.
(NOTE: IF THE PRESIDENT VISITS ROME -- I.E. THE CITY CENTER
-- AND DOES NOT SCHEDULE TIME WITH THE POPE, THIS WILL BE THE
FIRST TIME THAT HAS HAPPENED.)


3. (C) EVENING OF APRIL 19, AMBASSADOR AND POLOFF CALLED ON
FM TAURAN, ON INSTRUCTION, TO REQUEST APPROPRIATE VATICAN AND
CHURCH ENGAGEMENT IN VENEZUELAN "NATIONAL DIALOGUE" IN
SUPPORT FOR RECONCILIATION. (SEPTEL). AMBASSADOR AND TAURAN
ALSO DISCUSSED THE SITUATION IN BETHLEHEM AT THE CHURCH OF
THE NATIVITY AND VATICAN FEARS THAT IT WAS BECOMING UNSTABLE.


4. (U) AMBASSADOR HOSTED LUNCH APRIL 16 WITH MAIN VATICAN
INTERLOCUTORS TO DISCUSS PREPARATIONS FOR UPCOMING
ANTI-TRAFFICKING CONFERENCE. THE VATICAN OFFICIALS FROM THE
FOREIGN MINISTRY AND PONTIFICAL COUNCILS FOR JUSTICE AND
PEACE AND FOR MIGRANTS AND ITINERANTS WERE PLEASED AT THE
BROAD INTERNATIONAL INTEREST IN ATTENDING AND SPEAKING AT THE

CONFERENCE AND AGREED TO TAKE EMBASSY'S SUGGESTIONS AS TO
VATICAN SPEAKING/MODERATING ROLES AT THE CONFERENCE.


5. (U) A/S BETH JONES PAID A COURTESY CALL ON AMBASSADOR
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03 VATICA 02238 01 OF 02 081435Z
APRIL 23. DISCUSSION FOCUSED ON MIDDLE EAST; GROWING
ANTI-SEMITISM IN EUROPE AND VATICAN REACTIONS; BENEFITS OF
HAVING THE POPE UP TO SPEED ON U.S. THINKING AND INTENTIONS.
AT HER TOWN HALL MEETING AT EMBASSY ROME, RESPONDING TO A
QUERY FROM POL/ADMINOFF, A/S JONES ENCOURAGED POST TO ELICIT
GREATER ENGAGEMENT FROM THE VATICAN ON ROMA/SINTI ISSUES IN
EUROPE.


6. (U) AMBASSADOR CALLED ON MILAN CARDINAL MARTINI APRIL 26.
MARTINI, UNTIL RECENTLY SEEN AS A STRONG CONTENDER IN THE
PAPAL SUCCESSION STAKES, IS RETIRING IN SEPTEMBER. HE WILL
RETURN TO THE MIDDLE EAST TO STUDY AND, "IF ASKED," TO DO
WHAT HE CAN TO PROMOTE RECONCILIATION BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT
RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES THERE.


7. (U) AMBASSADOR'S PUBLIC DIPLOMACY: DURING THE REPORTING
PERIOD AMBASSADOR CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS OR BACKGROUNDERS ON
U.S./VATICAN RELATIONS AND THE UPCOMING ANTI-TRAFFICKING
CONFERENCE WITH: PEGGY POLK OF THE RELIGIOUS NEWS SERVICE AND
SARAH DELANEY OF THE WASHINGTON POST APRIL 17; JEFF ISRAELI
OF TIME MAGAZINE APRIL 18; VATICAN RADIO AND ALESSIO VINCI OF
CNN APRIL 19; MELINDA HENEBERGER OF THE NEW YORK TIMES AND
JOHN HENDERSON OF THE DENVER POST APRIL 23.


8. (C) DCM ACTIVITIES:

-- DCM MET APRIL 16 WITH MICROSOFT GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
DIRECTOR FABIO FALEZA TO DISCUSS MICROSOFT'S PROPOSAL TO
DIGITIZE VATICAN ARCHIVES. ESTIMATED COST IS $300 MILLION;
MICROSOFT SEES WORK UNDERTAKEN BY A CONSORTIUM OF COMPANIES.
DCM CHAIRED FOLLOW-UP MEETING APRIL 30, INCLUDING EMBASSY
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 04 VATICA 02238 01 OF 02 081435Z
ROME PAO. EMBASSY ROME FCS WILL WORK WITH MICROSOFT TO
FOLLOW-UP.

-- DCM MET APRIL 28 WITH ISRAELI COUNTERPART TO DISCUSS
BETHLEHEM AND CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY STANDOFF.


9. (C) POLITICAL SECTION:

-- POLOFF TOOK ADVANTAGE OF 4/16 LUNCH (PARA 4 ABOVE) TO
PRESENT DEMARCHE POINTS TO VATICAN DFM AND JUSTICE AND PEACE
UNDERSECRETARY ON UN SPECIAL SESSION ON CHILDREN. POINTS
REQUESTED VATICAN HELP IN ENGAGING LATIN AMERICAN CAPITALS TO
SUPPORT APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE ON CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE RIGHTS
IN THE UNGASS. (SEPTEL).

-- IN ADDITION TO SPENDING AN AVERAGE OF 2-3 HOURS PER DAY
ORGANIZING SPEAKERS AND ATTENDEES FOR THE ANTI-TRAFFICKING
CONFERENCE, POLOFF MET WITH U/S MICHAEL BLUME, APRIL 17, TO
COORDINATE HOLY SEE SPEAKERS AND THEIR TEXTS. BLUME WAS
HAPPY TO TAKE A SPEAKING ROLE OUTLINING THE BROAD HUMAN
RIGHTS DIMENSION OF THE PROBLEM.

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL PTQ9670

PAGE 01 VATICA 02238 02 OF 02 081435Z
ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00
DODE-00 PERC-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00
IO-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00 OIC-02 SSO-00 SS-00 DSCC-00
PRM-00 DRL-02 G-00 SAS-00 /004W
-------------- ABB20D 081437Z /38
O 081418Z MAY 02
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 002238

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR (BRADTKE),EUR/WE (MENNUTI)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KWMN EAID PGOV PHUM KWMN EAID VT EAGER VTPREL EAGER
SUBJECT: BIWEEKLY ACTIVITIES REPORT FOR APRIL 16-30, 2002

-- POL/ADMINOFF STAFFED AMBASSADOR J.D. BINDENAGLE'S APRIL
26 CALLS ON DFM MIGLIORE AND PRESIDENT OF THE PONTIFICAL
COMMISSION FOR RELATIONS WITH THE JUDAISM CARDINAL KASPER.
(SEPTEL WILL FOLLOW).


10. (C) REPORTING: VATICAN 1920: DEMARCHE ON UNGASS;
VATICAN 1975: ENGAGING CATHOLIC CHURCH IN VENEZUELA.
NICHOLSON

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 VATICA 02238 02 OF 02 081435Z

CONFIDENTIAL

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2002VATICA02238 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL