VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR TO RETURN TO CARACAS

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000025 SIPDIS FOR EUR/WE (MENUTTI); WHA/CAR FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 002/02 E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/02/12 TAGS: PINR VT PGOV VE SUBJECT: VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR TO RETURN TO CARACAS AS FOREIQN MINISTER CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 00025 021624Z CLASSIFIED BY CHARQE JOSEPH MERANTE, REASON E.O. 12958 1.5 (B,D) ¶1. (C) IQNACIO QUINTANA, THE VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR TO THE HOLY SEE, HOSTED A DINER IN HONOR OF VATICAN PRIME MINISTER-EQUIVALENT CARDINAL SODANO ON DECEMBER 27. IN ADDITION TO AMBASSADOR NICHOLSON, THE TWELVE QUESTS INCLUDED FOREIQN MINISTER- EQUIVALENT ARCHBISHOP TAURAN, AND PREFECT OF THE PAPAL HOUSEHOLD ARCHBISHOP JAMES HARVEY. DURINQ THE COURSE OF THE LAVISH DINNER, WHICH WAS HELD IN A PRIVATE ROOM AT THE ST. REQIS GRAND, CONVERSATION TURNED TO THE QUINTANA'S ALREADY ANNOUNCED FEBRUARY DEPARTURE. THERE WAS OPEN DISCUSSION ON QUINTANA'S RETURN TO CARACAS TO ASSUME THE POST OF FOREIQN MINISTER. ¶2. (C) AT PAPAL CEREMONY ON JANUARY 1, QUINTANA APPROACHED AMBASSADOR AND TOLD HIM THAT RELATIONS BETWEEN THE U.S. AND VENEZUELA WILL SOON BECOME MUCH WARMER. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: DURINQ HIS YEAR AS AMBASSADOR, QUINTANA HAS BEEN AN ENIQMA. WITHIN THE EXTREMELY RESERVED, CULTURED AMBASSADORIAL CORPS, HE WAS A BACKSLAPPINQ, QREQARIOUS EXCEPTION. VATICAN OFFICIALS OFTEN SPOKE DESPAIRINQLY OF HIM, AS WELL AS THE POLICIES OF VENEZUELA. HOWEVER, THE FACT THAT SODANO, TAURAN, AND HARVEY ALL ATTENDED A DINNER HOSTED BY HIM, DURINQ A PERIOD IN WHICH CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 VATICA 00025 021624Z SOCIAL EVENTS ARE BASICALLY SUSPENDED FOR THE HOLIDAYS, IS A STRONG INDICATION THAT THEY BELIEVE QUINTANA IS SOMEONE THEY WILL NEED IN THE FUTURE. ¶4. (C) COMMENT CONT: QUINTANA HAS ALSO TAKEN A VERY UNUSUAL STAND IN HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH AMBASSADOR NICHOLSON AND THE U.S. EMBASSY. DURINQ ALMOST EVERY ENCOUNTER WITH AMBASSADOR, QUINTANA MAKES AN ALMOST THEATRICAL PRESENTATION ON HOW MUCH HE "LOVES" THE UNITED STATES. MERANTE CONFIDENTIAL > 2002VATICA00025 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL