HOLY SEE NOT SUPPORTIVE OF SEPARATE OSCE

UNCLAS VATICAN 005836 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR EUR/RPM AD EUR/WE (MENNUTI) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM VT OSCE SUBJECT: HOLY SEE NOT SUPPORTIVE OF SEPARATE OSCE ANTI-SEMITISM MEETING REF: A) STATE 228101 B) USOSCE 1433 C) STATE 239512 ¶1. (SBU) POLOFF REVIEWED REFS (A) AND (B) DISCUSSION OF A SPECIAL SESSION ON ANTI-SEMITISM NOVEMBER 16 WITH VATICAN OSCE DIRECTOR MONS. ETTORE BALESTRERO, FOCUSING ON THE NEED FOR A STAND-ALONE MEETING TO DISCUSS ANTI-SEMITISM. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 VATICA 05836 040931Z BALESTRERO SAID THE HOLY SEE SHARED THE USG'S CONCERNS AND INDICATED HE WOULD UNDERTAKE TO SEE HOW THE HOLY SEE OSCE DELEGATION MIGHT BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE U.S. ¶2. (SBU) DCM FOLLOWED UP WITH VATICAN DFM CELESTINO MIGLIORE NOVEMBER 25, DEPLOYING REF (C) POINTS AND EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE THE USG ATTACHED TO HAVING A SEPARATE OSCE MEETING DEVOTED TO ANTI-SEMITISM. MIGLIORE RESPONDED THAT THE HOLY SEE WAS "HESITANT" TO ACCEPT THIS PROPOSAL, "NOT BECAUSE WE ARE NOT CONVINCED OF THE NEED TO COMBAT ANTI-SEMITISM." RATHER, THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT IF THE OSCE WERE TO HOLD A SPECIAL SESSION ON ANTI-SEMITISM, THE OSCE WOULD HAVE TO EXPLAIN WHY IT WAS NOT HOLDING SPECIAL SESSIONS ON THE ROMA, SINTI, AND OTHER GROUPS FACING RACISM OR XENOPHOBIA. HE FELT THIS WOULD DILUTE THE STATEMENT CONDEMNING DISCRIMINATION THAT WOULD COME OUT OF OPORTO. THE PROBLEM, MIGLIORE REITERATED, WAS THAT "SOMEONE WILL ALWAYS SAY THAT THEIR SPECIFIC PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT, AND WE WILL INEVITABLY DISAPPOINT SOME GROUP." ¶3. (SBU) DCM RESPONDED THAT THE USG REGARDS ANTI-SEMITISM AS A UNIQUE HISTORICAL PROBLEM THAT MERITS STAND-ALONE TREATMENT. MOREOVER, WE BELIEVE THAT SUCH TREATMENT WOULD STRENGTHEN THE OSCE'S ABILITY TO DEAL WITH OTHER FORMS OF RACISM AND XENOPHOBIA. MIGLIORE RESPONDED THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE OPPOSITION TO A SPECIAL SESSION FOR ANTI-SEMITISM WAS WIDELY SHARED BY MANY DELEGATIONS, AND THAT HE FOUND IT WELL-GROUNDED. HE REITERATED HIS VIEW THAT THE OPORTO STATEMENT WOULD BE STRONGER IF IT REMAINED ON A MORE GENERAL LEVEL. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 VATICA 05836 040931Z ¶4. (SBU) DCM REPEATED THAT THE U.S. STRONGLY BELIEVED THE ISSUE SHOULD BE SPECIFICALLY RAISED IN OPORTO AND STRONGLY FAVORED A SUBSEQUENT SEPARATE MEETING. HE URGED MIGLIORE TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND, AND TO WORK WITH OUR DELEGATION IN VIENNA AND OPORTO TO ACHIEVE AGREEMENT. NICHOLSON UNCLASSIFIED > 2002VATICA05836 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED