VATICAN MFA TICKED OFF AT RUSSIANS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 002239

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DRL/IRF (FARR),INR (CURRY),EUR/WE (MENNUTI)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2012
TAGS: PREL PHUM KIRF PHUM KIRF VT RU VTPREL RU
SUBJECT: VATICAN MFA TICKED OFF AT RUSSIANS

REF: A. A) CURRY/FROWICK EMAIL 04/29/02

B. B) KOSTELANCIK/FROWICK EMAIL 04/29/02

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


1. (C) SUMMARY: VATICAN MFA RUSSIA DIRECTOR TRICARICO IS
UNHAPPY AND AGITATED ABOUT THE GOR REFUSAL OF VISAS TO
CATHOLIC CLERGY, ESPECIALLY TO BISHOP MAZUR. HE BELIEVES THE
HIGHEST LEVEL OF THE GOR MUST HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE NEW
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PAGE 02 VATICA 02239 01 OF 02 081446Z
POLICY TO REJECT CATHOLIC CLERGY VISAS. HE SAID THE POPE AND
HIS CHURCH WANT RECONCILIATION WITH THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX, BUT
THAT AFTER 80 YEARS OF PERSECUTION AND A FURTHER DECADE OF
ONE-SIDED ATTEMPTS AT RAPPROCHEMENT, THEY HAVE YET TO SEE
PROGRESS. NEVERTHELESS, THE CHURCH WILL CONTINUE ITS
MINISTRY IN RUSSIA, AND CONTINUE TO PURSUE A RAPPROCHEMENT
WITH THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX.

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AGITATED OVER VISA REFUSALS
--------------


2. (C) POLOFF MET 05/02 WITH VATICAN MFA RUSSIA/NIS DIRECTOR
ARCHBISHOP ALBERTO TRICARICO TO DISCUSS VATICAN/RUSSIAN
RELATIONS IN WAKE OF EXPULSION OF TWO CLERGY MEMBERS IN
RECENT DAYS. TRICARICO, ONE OF THE MOST SENIOR OF VATICAN
MFA "COUNTRY DIRECTORS," WAS AGITATED, SAYING THE HOLY SEE
HAD BENT OVER BACKWARDS TO ACCOMMODATE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX
PATRIARCH ALEXIY, BUT THERE HAD BEEN NO POSITIVE RESPONSE.
HE SAID THE GOR AVERRED CANCELLATION OF VISAS FOR THE TWO
CLERGY WAS AN ACT OF "SOVEREIGNTY," BUT THE VATICAN WAS STILL
WAITING FOR AN EXPLANATION OF THE LEGAL BASIS FOR IT. HE WAS
PARTICULARLY UPSET THAT THE GOR HAD DENIED BISHOP MAZUR THE
RIGHT TO RETURN TO HIS FLOCK. TRICARICO UNDERSCORED THAT THE
REFUSAL OF A VISA TO A BISHOP WAS TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY BY THE
VATICAN -- IN THIS CASE IT WAS A "HISTORICAL ACT" WHICH
DEFIED THE HOLY SEE'S 1989 AGREEMENT WITH THE SOVIET UNION ON
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. HE BELIEVED THAT THE GOR WOULDN'T REFUSE
A VISA TO A BISHOP WITHOUT HIGHEST LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT
KNOWING.

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PAGE 03 VATICA 02239 01 OF 02 081446Z

3. (C) TRICARICO SAID THE HOLY SEE HAD PROTESTED THE
EXPULSION OF ITS CLERGY AT THE OSCE. WE ASKED HIM ABOUT THE
RUSSIAN OSCE AMBASSADOR'S COMMENT THAT MAZUR'S VISA REFUSAL
WAS LINKED TO THE USE OF THE OLD JAPANESE NAME FOR SAKHALIN
DIOCESE'S SOUTHERN DISTRICT (REF B). TRICARICO SAID THAT
WAS SPECIOUS. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE CHURCH HAD CALLED THAT
DISTRICT KARAFUTO SINCE 1938, AND THAT IT WAS ONLY AFTER THE
DECISION BY THE POPE TO MAKE THE FOUR DIOCESES OFFICIAL THAT
THEY HAD HEARD ANY COMPLAINT ABOUT IT.

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TRICARICO ON THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN RUSSIA
--------------


4. (C) TO PUT THE CHURCH'S SITUATION IN RUSSIA INTO
PERSPECTIVE, TRICARICO SAID IT NEEDS 100'S OF BISHOPS, BUT
ONLY HAS FOUR. HE AGREED WITH THE GENERAL PRINCIPAL THAT
CLERGY SHOULD BE NATIONALS OF THE COUNTRY WHERE THEY
MINISTER, AND NOTED THAT THERE ARE NOW 74 SEMINARIANS IN THE
ST. PETERSBURG SEMINARY. OVER TIME, HE FORECAST, FOREIGN
CLERGY WON'T BE NEEDED. IN THE MEANTIME, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
WAS DOING LOTS OF SOCIAL WORK IN RUSSIA, WITH HOSPITALS,
SCHOOLS AND SOCIAL CENTERS FOR PENSIONERS. GIVEN THIS, MANY
IN THE VATICAN FEEL PARTICULARLY BETRAYED BY THE GOR'S
ACTIONS AFTER THE CREATION OF THE FOUR RUSSIAN DIOCESES.
TRICARICO REPEATEDLY ASSERTED THAT CATHOLICS HAD BEEN
PERSECUTED IN RUSSIA FOR 80 YEARS, THROWN INTO THE GULAG, AND
MANY MARTYRED, AND "THIS IS OUR REWARD?"


5. (C) TRICARICO SAID THAT THE POPE SINCERELY WISHED FOR A
RAPPROCHEMENT WITH THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX; HE WOULD GIVE UP
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PAGE 04 VATICA 02239 01 OF 02 081446Z
ANYTHING "SAVE THE FREEDOM" OF HIS CATHOLIC FLOCK TO PRACTICE
THEIR FAITH. BUT DESPITE ALL THE APOLOGIES FOR HISTORICAL
TRANSGRESSIONS, THE OUTREACH TO ORTHODOX CHURCHES IN OTHER
COUNTRIES, THE DISCRETION THAT CATHOLICS PRACTICED IN RUSSIA
(I.E. MAKING RUSSIANS WHO WISH TO CONVERT TAKE SEVERAL WEEKS
OF REFLECTION BEFORE ACCEPTING THEM TO THE CHURCH),PATRIARCH
ALEXIY AND THE ORTHODOX OFFER NAUGHT BUT A STONEWALL.
TRICARICO AVERRED THAT THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CLERGY SUFFERED
FROM "SOCIALIST WAYS OF THINKING; THEY WERE ALL COLLABORATORS
IN PAST AND CAN'T SHAKE OLD WAYS" (PLEASE STRICTLY PROTECT).

--------------
WHAT NEXT?
--------------


6. (C) FOR NOW, BISHOP MAZUR IS COOLING HIS HEELS AT HIS OLD
PARISH IN WARSAW. THE POPE IS HOPEFUL THAT ANY MOMENT THINGS
WILL BREAK, AND MAZUR WILL BE PERMITTED TO RETURN. TRICARICO
DID NOT MENTION WHETHER CAPRIO MIGHT RETURN TO MOSCOW. WE

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CONFIDENTIAL PTQ9723

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ACTION DRL-02

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 PERC-00 DS-00
EUR-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 NSAE-00
SSO-00 SS-00 EPAE-00 DSCC-00 SAS-00 /003W
-------------- ABB476 081447Z /38
O 081430Z MAY 02
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
INFO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY
USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 002239

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DRL/IRF (FARR),INR (CURRY),EUR/WE (MENNUTI)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2012
TAGS: PREL PHUM KIRF PHUM KIRF VT RU VTPREL RU
SUBJECT: VATICAN MFA TICKED OFF AT RUSSIANS

REMINDED HIM OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, NOTING THAT WE HAD A REGULAR CHANNEL WITH
THE VATICAN ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ISSUES. SAYING "THANK GOD
FOR AMERICA -- THE ONLY COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND UP AND TALK
ABOUT THESE ISSUES," TRICARICO INDICATED HE WOULD WELCOME AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE VIEWS WITH THE NEW AMBASSADOR AT LARGE
OR INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IF AND WHEN HE VISITS
VATICAN CITY.


6. (C) COMMENT: POST HAS OBSERVED ARCHBISHOP TRICARICO TO BE
MORE EMOTIONAL IN HIS DISCOURSE THAN ARE MOST OTHER VATICAN
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PAGE 02 VATICA 02239 02 OF 02 081447Z
COUNTRY DIRECTORS. PERHAPS BECAUSE OF HIS AGE (HE WILL TURN
75 LATER THIS YEAR AND SUBMIT HIS RESIGNATION) HIS VIEWS ON
THE ORTHODOX CLERGY'S "COLLABORATIONIST" PROCLIVITIES ARE
SHARPENED. PRIOR TO TAKING MFA RESPONSIBILITIES FOR RUSSIA
AND THE NIS COUNTRIES, TRICARICO HAD BEEN NUNCIO IN S/E ASIA
FOR MYANMAR AND LAOS, AND HAD SERVED IN VARIOUS EUROPEAN
NUNCIATURES. WHILE TIRCARICO SOUNDED TO US SOMEWHAT
CONFRONTATIONAL ON THE RUSSIAN ISSUES, WE BELIEVE THAT THE
VATICAN ITSELF WILL, TRUE TO FORM, TAKE A LONG VIEW OF THE
PROBLEM AND WORK PATIENTLY AND DISCRETELY TO ADVANCE ITS
INTERESTS. EMBASSY CONVERSATIONS WITH RUSSIAN EMBASSY AND
ORTHODOX CHURCH REPRESENTATIVES IN ROME WILL BE REPORTED
SEPTEL.
NICKOLSON

CONFIDENTIAL

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2002VATICA02239 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL