VATICAN CONCERNED BY DRAFT RUSSIAN VISA RULES

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 003492 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI),DRL/IRF (FARR) E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2012 TAGS: PREL PGOV KIRF PHUM VT RU SUBJECT: VATICAN CONCERNED BY DRAFT RUSSIAN VISA RULES REF: VATICAN 2239 CLASSIFIED BY: D. BRENT HARDT, CDA, REASON E.O. 12958 1.5 (B,D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: VATICAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MIGLIORE TOLD DCM JULY 12 THAT A NEW RUSSIAN DRAFT LAW ON RELIGIOUS WORKER VISAS COULD HAVE A DEVASTATING IMPACT ON THE CHURCH'S ABILITY TO OPERATE IN RUSSIA. FOR EXAMPLE, MIGLIORE INDICATED THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S OPERATIONS IN IRKUTSK WOULD HAVE TO CEASE IF THE LAWS WERE TO PASS IN ITS CURRENT FORM, AND OTHER AREAS WOULD BE IMPEDED GIVEN THE SHORTAGE OF CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 03492 151244Z RUSSIAN PRIESTS NATIONWIDE. THE VATICAN IS STILL SEEKING TO DETERMINE WHETHER THIS DRAFT HAS HIGH-LEVEL POLITICAL SUPPORT OR IS THE WORK OF THE BUREAUCRACY. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) DURING INCOMING DCM'S JULY 12 COURTESY CALL ON VATICAN DFM CELESTINO MIGLIORE, MIGLIORE RAISED HIS CONCERN ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF DRAFT RUSSIAN RELIGIOUS VISA LAWS THAT WOULD REQUIRE RELIGIOUS WORKERS TO LEAVE RUSSIA EVERY THREE MONTHS TO RENEW THEIR STATUS. HE SAID IT USUALLY TAKES A MONTH FOR THOSE VISAS TO BE PROCESSED, AND WOULD REQUIRE PRIESTS AND OTHER RELIGIOUS WORKERS FROM POLAND, THE PHILIPPINES AND OTHER COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN TO LEAVE THEIR PARISHES FOR ONE MONTH OUT OF EVERY FOUR AT GREAT EXPENSE AND LOSS OF TIME. IN EFFECT, HE SAID, THE DECREE IS "JUST LIKE SAYING CLOSE DOWN YOUR ACTIVITIES." MIGLIORE WAS ALSO CONCERNED THAT THE GOR HAS LISTED A FURTHER 15 RELIGIOUS LEADERS "TO BE EXPELLED." ¶3. (C) ASKED WHETHER BISHOP MAZUR (PREVIOUSLY DENIED A VISA TO RETURN TO THE DIOCESE OF SAKHALIN -- SEE REFTEL) HAD HEARD ANY NEWS ABOUT THE RENEWAL OF HIS VISA, MIGLIORE SAID THE HOLY SEE HAD NOT EVEN HEARD FROM THE GOR THE LEGAL BASIS FOR HIS VISA REFUSAL. MAZUR CONTINUES TO COOL HIS HEELS IN POLAND. HE INDICATED THAT THERE IS A REAL RISK THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S ACTIVITIES IN IRKUTSK WOULD HAVE TO CEASE IF MAZUR DOESN'T GET HIS VISA AND IF THE NEW DECREE COMES INTO FORCE. HE SAID THAT WHEN THE HOLY SEE ATTEMPTS TO DISCUSS THESE ISSUES IN MOSCOW, THEY ARE TOLD THAT "LOWER LEVEL OFFICIALS" ARE RESPONSIBLE, BUT NEVERTHELESS, THE CHURCH'S CLERGY ARE STILL DENIED THE CHANCE TO CONDUCT THEIR PASTORAL WORK. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 VATICA 03492 151244Z ¶4. (C) COMMENT: MIGLIORE'S COMMENTS ABOUT THIS NEW RUSSIAN DECREE INDICATED A NEW LEVEL OF CONCERN WITHIN THE VATICAN FOR THEIR ABILITY TO OPERATE IN RUSSIA. MIGLIORE RAISED THE ISSUE IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ABOUT THE HOLY SEE'S CURRENT INTERNATIONAL PRIORITIES, GIVING IT TOP BILLING. THE NEW DRAFT LAW COMES ON THE HEELS OF A VITUPERATIVE STATEMENT BY THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH'S SPOKESMAN FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS, ARCHPRIEST VSEVOLOD CHAPLIN JULY 5 IN WHICH HE CONDEMNED THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S COMPETITIVE APPROACH AS "EXPANSION AT ANY PRICE," AND ASSERTED THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS HAD "ALMOST ZERO SUCCESS." WE WOULD APPRECIATE EMBASSY MOSCOW'S TAKE ON WHETHER THERE IS A REAL THREAT THAT THE CHURCH'S OPERATIONS COULD BE "SHUT DOWN" OR OTHERWISE SERIOUSLY IMPEDED BY THE NEW DRAFT LAW AND WHETHER THIS REPRESENTS A NEW ESCALATION IN THE TENSE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO CHURCHES. WITH VATICAN MFA COUNTRY DIRECTOR FOR RUSSIAN/NIS ISSUES ARCHBISHOP TRICARICO SOON TO RETIRE, THE VATICAN IS THIN ON PERSONNEL AND NOT WELL POSITIONED TO PUSH ITS INTEREST IN THIS AREA. HARDT CONFIDENTIAL > 2002VATICA03492 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL