HOLY SEE NOMINATES NEW DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER:

UNCLAS VATICAN 005848

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINR VT
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE NOMINATES NEW DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER:
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON PIETRO PAROLIN


1. (U) POPE JOHN PAUL II HAS APPOINTED MONSIGNOR PIETRO
PAROLIN TO BE THE HOLY SEE'S DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER (UNDER-
SECRETARY FOR THE SECTION FOR RELATIONS WITH STATES OF THE

SIPDIS
SECRETARIAT OF STATE). PAROLIN REPLACES ARCHBISHOP-

SIPDIS
DESIGNATE CELESTINO MIGLIORE WHO HAS BEEN APPOINTED THE HOLY
SEE'S PERMANENT OBSERVER AT THE U.N. IN NEW YORK.


2. (U) PIETRO PAROLIN WAS BORN IN SCHIAVON, IN VICENZA
PROVINCE, IN THE NORTH OF ITALY IN 1955. AFTER HIS
ORDINATION AS A CATHOLIC PRIEST HE TOOK UP GRADUATE STUDIES
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 VATICA 05848 041550Z
IN CANON LAW AND DIPLOMACY AND ENTERED THE HOLY SEE'S
DIPLOMATIC SERVICE IN 1986. PAROLIN SERVED AT HOLY SEE
NUNCIATURES IN NIGERIA AND MEXICO, AND MOST RECENTLY AS
DIRECTOR FOR SPAIN, ANDORRA, ITALY, SAN MARINO AND CONCORDAT
ISSUES AT THE VATICAN'S FOREIGN MINISTRY. HE SPEAKS
ITALIAN, ENGLISH, FRENCH, AND SPANISH.


3. (SBU) PAROLIN WAS A 2001 INTERNATIONAL VISITOR TO THE
UNITED STATES FROM THE VATICAN, AND HAS BEEN A GOOD CONTACT
FOR POST. WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH HIM IN HIS CAPACITY
AS COUNTRY DIRECTOR FOR INDONESIA DURING THE EAST TIMOR
CRISIS. HE HAS CONSISTENTLY PROVEN HIMSELF AN OPEN-MINDED
"VATICANISTA" WHO HAS BEEN GROOMED FOR GREATER
RESPONSIBILITY IN THE HOLY SEE. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN
OBVIOUS CHOICE FOR A PAPAL NUNCIO -- A COMMON ONWARD
ASSIGNMENT FOR VATICAN MFA COUNTRY DIRECTORS
-- BUT WE SUSPECT HIS SUPERIOR ABILITIES, AS WELL AS PERHAPS
FAMILY REASONS (WE KNOW HIS ELDERLY MOTHER'S ILLNESS
SLIGHTLY ABBREVIATED HIS IV PROGRAM),HAVE KEPT HIM AT THE
VATICAN WHERE HE HAS NOW LEAP-FROGGED INTO A MORE SENIOR
POSITION. PAROLIN WILL LIKELY CARRY ON THE TRADITION OF
FRIENDLINESS, OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS, AND OPEN-MINDEDNESS
ESTABLISHED BY HIS PREDECESSOR, AND WILL BE AN EFFECTIVE
HIGH-LEVEL INTERLOCUTOR FOR THE U.S.

NICHOLSON

UNCLASSIFIED

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2002VATICA05848 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED